Borscht
Borscht
Borscht is a soup made primarily from beets, which gives it its gorgeous ruby color. Although it originates from Ukraine many Eastern & Central European countries (Russia, Poland, Romania etc) claim versions of their own. The variety of recipes with or without cabbage and meat are endless. They are as different as the people who make them. Coming from Polish & Russian ancestry, Borscht was something we had growing up and one of my earliest memories is of eating it. The beets give the soup a wonderfully earthy and sweet flavor. Served with boiled potatoes and vegan sour cream creating a delicious “pink” mixture of textures. If you love beets then this is right up your alley!
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 cups (946ml) of Water or Broth ( I used a vegan beef-less broth)
2 medium (720g) Red Beets peeled and cubed
1 medium (125g) Carrot peeled and diced
1/2 cup (160g) finely diced Onions
3 cloves Garlic minced
2 Tbsp (30g) chopped fresh Dill
1-2 tsp (5-10g) Cane Sugar
Salt & Pepper to taste
4 Yellow Potatoes (small or medium sized)
Serve with
Vegan Sour Cream
Dark Pumpernickel Bread
Fresh chopped Dill
Directions
1. Peel and cut the beets into smallish cubes. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot on medium heat, sauté the onion for about 4-6 minutes or until translucent. Add in the diced carrot and beets and continue to cook on medium low heat.
3. Cook the vegetables for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the garlic until it becomes fragrant about 2 minutes, then cover with broth.
4. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Add in the dill and sugar and continue cooking for another 20 -25 minutes or until all of the vegetables are tender.
5. While the soup is cooking, prepare the boiled potatoes. Peel the potatoes and add them to cool water. Bring them to a boil until easily pierced with a fork, about 17-22 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes). Drain and set aside.
6. Once the borscht is ready, serve each bowl with boiled potato, vegan sour cream, fresh dill and dark rye or pumpernickel bread. The soup can also be enjoyed chilled.
