5 Minute Summer Borscht Recipes

SUMMER BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place the beets in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook uncovered until the beets are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the beets to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and also set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the beet cooking liquid, the chicken stock, sour cream, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and the pepper. Peel the cooled beets with a small paring knife or rub the skins off with your hands. Cut the beets in small to medium dice. Add the beets, cucumber, scallions, and dill to the soup. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Season, to taste, and serve cold with a dollop of sour cream and an extra sprig of fresh dill.

SUMMA BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place diced potatoes into a large saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the green onions, dill, and buttermilk; bring back to a simmer. Stir in the half-and-half before serving.

SUMMER BORSCHT

Steps:

• Fill a medium saucepan with water, and bring to a boil. Add beets, and boil until beets are fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Drain beets, reserving cooking water, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Rub off skins.
• Heat olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Coarsely chop 1 1/2 carrots, and add to stockpot. Add leek, salt, and pepper. Coarsely chop half of the dill, and add to stockpot. Cook until carrots are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
• Cut beets into 1-inch chunks, and add to stockpot. Add wine, 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, and chicken stock. Let simmer until broth is flavorful, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the stockpot from heat, and transfer hot soup to a large bowl. Set bowl in ice-water bath to cool; skim off any fat.
• Using the small hole of a box grater, grate remaining 1/2 carrot and cucumber. Serve soup with a dollop of creme fraiche, garnished with grated carrot, grated cucumber, and remaining fresh dill. Give each serving a splash of red-wine vinegar, if desired.

BEEF BORSCHT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the bacon in a Dutch oven or stockpot and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the fat begins to render, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• To the fat in the pan, add the onions and carrots, and stir to coat. Cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, dill seeds, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the red wine vinegar and stir to deglaze the pan. Return the meat to the pot and add the water, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer partially covered until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, place the beets on a baking sheet and brush with the oil. Roast until tender and can be pierced easily with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Trim the stem and root ends and remove the skins. Coarsely grate and set aside.
• When the meat is tender and falling apart, add the beets, potatoes, and cabbage. Simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes. Season with additional red wine vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
• Ladle borscht into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and pinch of fresh dill.

SUMMER BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place the beets in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook uncovered until the beets are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Remove the beets to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
• Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and also set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the beet cooking liquid, the chicken stock, sour cream, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and the pepper.
• Peel the cooled beets with a small paring knife or rub the skins off with your hands.
• Cut the beets in small to medium dice.
• Add the beets, cucumber, scallions, and dill to the soup.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Season, to taste, and serve cold with a dollop of sour cream and an extra sprig of fresh dill.

SLOW COOKER BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place beef, beets, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic in a slow cooker. Whisk together the beef broth, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, dill weed, parsley, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over the beef and vegetables, adding more broth to cover as needed.
• Cover and cook on Low for 8 1/2 hours, or High for 4 hours.
• Set heat to High, then stir in the shredded cabbage. Cover and continue cooking until the cabbage tender, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Serve in a bowl with a dollop of sour cream.

SUMMER BORSCHT WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Place beets in a medium saucepan, and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove beets with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid. Let beets cool, about 20 minutes. Strain cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, and refrigerate, covered, until chilled, about 2 hours. Peel beets, and cut into 1/4-inch dice.
• Whisk together stock, sour cream, yogurt, lemon juice, the salt, and 1 1/2 cups cooled beet liquid in a large bowl. Stir in beets, cucumber, and dill. Season with pepper. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours (or up to 1 day).
• Stir soup, then divide among 8 bowls. Spoon 1 tablespoon tzatziki onto each serving, and top each with a dill sprig.

5 MINUTE SUMMER BORSCHT!

Steps:

• Chill bottle of Borscht.
• Open and pour yourself a refreshing summer drink! ~OR~.
• Cook potatoes in boiling water til just fork tender.
• Drain, and place while hot into soup bowl and pour cold Borscht over, spoon out some of the chopped beets that are in the bottle and add to soup. Some pepper and that's it!
• If you wish, a small dollop of sour cream can be added. You can also prepare the Borscht beforehand by whipping one cup of Borscht liquid with the sour cream and returning this to bottle and shake to blend.