Ciorbă de miel

Step 1: Put 2 ¼ lb lamb neck and breast, bone-in in a pot with 10 ½ cups water and 2 tsp salt, bring to a simmer and skim well. Cook gently for 1 hour, until the meat comes off the bone.

Step 2: Lift out the lamb, strip the meat from the bones and return the meat to the pot.

Step 3: Add 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 red pepper and 1 ¾ oz short-grain rice and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 bunch spring onions and 2 green garlic or garlic for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Pour in 2 cups borș or lemon juice (or the lemon juice) and bring back to the boil. Taste for sourness and salt.

Step 5: Whisk 1 egg with ¾ cup soured cream in a bowl, then whisk in 3 ladlefuls of hot soup one at a time. Pour back into the pot off the heat, stirring, then warm gently until steaming but not boiling. A common mistake is pouring the cold liaison straight into the pot, which curdles it.

Step 6: Stir in 1 handful fresh lovage or celery leaves and 1 handful dill and serve hot.