Gorkys Cafe Beet Borscht Recipes

ROASTED BEET BORSCHT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚. Scrub the beets and put them on a large piece of foil; season with salt and pepper, add 3 thyme sprigs and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until the beets are tender, about 1 hour. When the beets are cool enough to handle but still warm, slip off their skins and chop them into large chunks.
• Bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic and remaining 3 thyme sprigs and cook, stirring, until softened and just starting to color, about 10 minutes.
• Add the warm chicken stock to the vegetables in the pot and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs. Put the chopped beets in a blender and add the cooked vegetables and stock. Blend until smooth, adding more stock if the puree is too thick. Add the vinegar and honey; season with salt and pepper. Blend again to incorporate the flavors. (The borscht can be served hot or cold; for a chilled soup, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold.)
• To make the garnish, grate the apple on the large holes of a box grater into a medium bowl; mix in the dill. Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in a big dollop of sour cream. Top with the apple-dill mixture.

GORKY'S CAFE BEET BORSCHT

Steps:

• Cut off ends and stems of beets, and boil for 20 minutes or until tender-crisp; remove the skin while still warm by rubbing it with a cloth; then cut into 1/4-inch julienne pieces and set aside.
• Place 14 cups of water, vinegar, granulated and brown sugars, tomato paste, chicken broth, garlic, pepper and bay leaves in a large kettle, bring to a boil and skim off foam.
• Add onion, cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is transparent, add cabbage, cook 15 minutes or until onion is transparent; add cabbage, cook 15 minutes longer; add potato and cook another 15 minutes, add beets and bring to a boil.
• Serve with pumpernickel or rye bread, and butter.

BEET BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the beets, carrots, onion, water and salt to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add broth, cabbage and butter; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir in lemon juice. If desired, top each serving with sour cream and chives or dill.

VESELKA'S FAMOUS BORSCHT

Steps:

• To make the "beet water," roughly chop 2 pounds of the beets (select the smaller ones), preferably in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Place the chopped beets in a large stockpot. Add 10 cups of water and 1 tablespoon vinegar.
• Place the stockpot over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2 hours. (If it seems like the liquid is evaporating too quickly, you may need to cover the pot partially with an offset lid.) The beets should be extremely soft and the liquid bright red.
• Strain the liquid, pressing the cooked beets against the side of the strainer to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the pulp or reserve. Set aside the beet water. You should have just about 4 cups.
• Meanwhile, place the remaining 1 pound of whole beets in a separate large stockpot. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the beets are tender-firm, about 40 minutes. When the beets are cooked, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar and set them aside to cool.
• When the whole cooked beets are cool enough to handle, peel them; the skins should slip off easily. Grate the peeled beets on the largest holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the grating blade.
• To make the broth, place the pork butt in a large stockpot and add the beef stock. If necessary, add a little more stock or water to cover. Add the bay leaf, allspice berries, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the meat is tender and beginning to fall apart, about 2 hours. Set the pork aside to cool. When the pork is cool enough to handle, remove it from the pot and cut the meat into ½-inch cubes. Strain the broth and discard the bay leaf, allspice berries, and peppercorns. Reserve the cubed meat and 4 cups of the broth.
• To cook the vegetables, place the carrots and celery in a large stockpot and pour the reserved meat broth over them. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the carrots and celery are just tender, about 8 minutes. Add the cabbage and potatoes and continue to cook until the potatoes and carrots are easily pierced with a pairing knife but keep their shape, 15 to 20 additional minutes. Add the lima beans and cook for 5 additional minutes, just to meld the flavors. Gradually add the remaining 7 tablespoons white vinegar, tasting between additions and stopping when the flavor is to your liking. Remove the soup from the heat and set aside.
• To compose the soup, in a large soup pot combine the "beet water" and meat broth with the vegetables. Add the cubed pork and the grated beets. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer over low heat. Season to taste with salt and serve immediately.

KYERA'S HEARTY BEEF BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place oxtail, onions, carrots, cabbage, celery, barley, onion soup mix, dill, cinnamon, bay leaf, and water in a large slow cooker. Cook on low until meat is tender, about 5 hours.
• Remove meat and bones from slow cooker; cool on a plate until easily handled, about 10 minutes. Cut meat into small pieces; return meat to the soup and discard bones. Skim off any fat from soup; remove bay leaf.
• Stir beets and beet greens into soup; cook on low until beets are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper; top each bowl with about 1 tablespoon sour cream to serve.

RUSSIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place the first six ingredients in a large soup kettle or Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute beets in 1 tablespoon oil for 3 minutes. stir in vinegar; set aside. Remove beef with a slotted spoon; cool. Remove meat from the bones; discard bones. Cut meat into chunks; set aside. strain broth, discarding peppercorns and bay leaves. Skim fat. Add enough water to broth to measure 6 cups; return to kettle. Add potatoes, carrots, cabbage, parsley and beets. Bring to a boil., In a skillet, saute onion in remaining oil for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Whisk into soup. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. add tomatoes. process soup in small batches in a blender or food processor; pour into a large saucepan. Add beef; heat through. Garnish with sour cream.

BEEF AND BEET BORSCHT

Steps:

• Cook beef shank in a large soup pot over high heat until browned, about 3 minutes per side; add water, onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaf to the pot, bring to a simmer and cook until meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 4 hours. Strain broth and discard solids.
• Combine beef broth, beets, and cabbage in a large soup pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until beets are tender, about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add vinegar, salt, and black pepper.
• Serve garnished with sour cream and dill.

BEET AND CABBAGE BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a large saucepan cook the onion in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the garlic, the cuminseed, the cabbage, and the potato, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth, 1/2 cup water, the beets with the reserved liquid, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the soup, covered partially, for 25 minutes. Divide the soup between 2 bowls and garnish it with the sour cream and the dill.

GORKY BEET CAKE

Steps:

• Beat together eggs, sugar and oil until fluffy.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & cinnamon in large bowl.
• Add egg mixture & stir well to blend.
• Add vanilla, beets & walnuts. Beat together 1 minute.
• Pour into a greased and dusted 9x13 pan (works well in a bundt pan also).
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Cool.
• Serve with almond sauce on the side and drizzled over each serving, or dust with powdered sugar.
• For almond sauce:
• Blend together cream cheese, whipping cream & almond extract with mixer until fluffy. Blend in powdered sugar. Spoon onto cake or serve on the side.