Grand Borscht Recipes

CLASSIC BORSCHT RECIPE (BEET SOUP)

Steps:

• Peel, grate and/or slice all vegetables (keeping sliced potatoes in cold water to prevent browning until ready to use then drain).
• Heat a large soup pot (5 1/2 Qt or larger) over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add grated beets and sauté 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until beets are softened.
• Add 8 cups broth and 2 cups water. Add sliced potatoes and sliced carrots then cook for 10-15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
• While potatoes are cooking, place a large skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper. Saute stirring occasionally until softened and lightly golden (7-8 minutes). Add 4 Tbsp Ketchup and stir fry 30 seconds then transfer to the soup pot to continue cooking with the potatoes.
• When potatoes and carrots reach desired softness, add 1 can of beans with their juice, 2 bay leaves, 2-3 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 pressed garlic clove, and 3 Tbsp chopped dill. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes and add more salt and vinegar to taste.

BORSCHT RECIPE (BEET SOUP)

Steps:

• Add olive oil to a soup pot and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add in the beets, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage. Stir to combine.
• Cook for 10 minutes to slightly soften the vegetables.
• Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
• Pour in the beef and the vegetable broth and add the bay leaf. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the beets and carrots are tender.
• Discard bay leaf. Stir in the fresh dill, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Taste and season with the desired amount of kosher salt and black pepper.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.

BORSCHT II

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium heat, brown beef in oil. Stir in onion and water, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 2 hours, until meat is tender.
• Remove meat from broth and set aside to cool slightly. Stir carrots, celery, cabbage, beets, tomato juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper into broth. When meat is cool enough to handle, cut meat from bone and into bite-size pieces and return to soup. Simmer until vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

UNCLE BILL'S RUSSIAN/DOUKHOBOUR BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a large (8 quart) stock pot, add water and bring to boil.
• Add 1/2 cup of mashed tomatoes, quartered potatoes, chopped carrots, chopped onions, salt and beets and return to boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until potatoes are just cooked.
• Meanwhile, begin to prepare all vegetables.
• When potatoes are cooked, remove with a slotted spoon into a mixing bowl.
• Add 3 tablespoons butter to potatoes, mash well.
• Stir in whipping cream, mixing well to incorporate; set aside.
• In a large frying pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter, add chopped onions and saute' until just softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add remaining mashed tomatoes and simmer uncovered until reduced to a creamy consistency.
• The sauce will be thickened.
• Cover, reduce heat to keep warm.
• In another large frying pan, melt the remainder 3 tablespoons butter, add 4 cups of shredded cabbage and on medium heat, fry until softened and very lightly browned, about 15 minutes, DO NOT BURN.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• To the cooking pot, add cubed potatoes and 1/2 cup of tomato-onion mixture.
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add cauliflower and celery and continue to boil gently until potatoes are just tender.
• Stir in remaining 4 cups of raw shredded cabbage and return soup to boil.
• Reduce heat; stir in mashed potatoes, fried cabbage and remaining tomato-onion mixture.
• Add diced green and red peppers, freshly ground black pepper, dill weed, lemon juice.
• Return to boil and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Cover and reduce heat to just warm and let borscht sit for 30 minutes for flavors to blend.
• Remove beets and discard or eat them separately.
• The beets are for coloring only.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• If borscht is too sweet to your liking, stir in some additional lemon juice.
• If desired, serve with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
• Refrigerate any unused portions.
• Traditionally, medium or sharp cheddar cheese pieces and fresh bread or buns are served with the borscht.

GRAND BORSCHT

Steps:

• Combine the stock, carrot, celery, whole onion, beef, ham hock if you're using it, bay leaf, and beans in a stockpot; bring to a boil, then cover partially and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily. Cook until the meat and beans are very tender, at least 2 hours. Remove the bay leaf and vegetables and discard. Remove the beef and cool, then cut it into chunks. If you used the ham hock, remove the meat from the bone; reserve the meat and discard the bone. (This can all be done days in advance; cover and refrigerate until you're ready to proceed.)
• Meanwhile, add the beets and potatoes to the stock along with the beef and ham and simmer while you proceed with the recipe.
• Put the butter in a large skillet and turn the heat to high. When it melts, add the chopped onions, garlic, and cabbage, along with a large pinch of salt and a sprinkling of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and cabbage are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar.
• Add the onion-cabbage mixture to the bubbling stock, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish and serve hot, passing the sour cream at the table.

BORSCH

Steps:

• To make the stock, put the meat, whole onion, bay leaf and 2 litres of lightly salted cold water in a large saucepan. Cook over a very low heat for 1 hr 30 mins or until the beef shin is soft and falls apart easily - this can take up to 3 hrs. Skim off the scum with a spoon from time to time. Break up any larger pieces of beef into the broth, remove the whole onion and discard.
• Add the potatoes to the borscht, season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the diced onion and carrot, and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the carrot is soft and is about to start caramelising.
• Add the beetroot and cook for around 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, if using, and cook for another 2 mins, then add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, then increase the heat and boil to reduce slightly, before adding everything to the borscht.
• Add the shredded cabbage and the kidney beans, and cook for 7-10 mins or until tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, lots of chopped dill and some crusty bread.

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.