Czech Frankfurter Sausage Soup

For this frankfurter sausage soup, finely chop the onion and sweat it in lard until translucent. Dust it with flour and ground paprika and fry briefly into a light roux, so the paprika does not turn bitter but releases its aroma and the base takes on a golden colour.

Pour water over the roux and stir well so no lumps form. Add the diced potatoes, bay leaf, allspice, caraway and marjoram, season with salt and simmer over low heat until the potatoes are tender and all the flavours come together into a thick soup.

Meanwhile, slice the sausages into coins. Drop them into the soup and just heat them through, you do not need to boil them, or they will toughen and lose their juiciness. The sausages add body and a typical smoky taste that makes the soup filling as a full meal.

Season the soup with salt and freshly ground pepper. Fish out the bay leaf and whole allspice so they do not surprise anyone with a hard bite. Adjust the taste to a pleasantly balanced and hearty result.

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with a slice of fresh bread or a roll. It tastes even better the next day, when the flavours come together more and it thickens. It works as a quick lunch or a hearty dinner, and you can easily make a bigger pot for the whole weekend.