Grandmas Winter Borscht Recipes

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.

SPRING GREENS BORSCHT

Steps:

• Fill a large pot about 3/4 full with water; bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes and cook until fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in green onions and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and sorrel; cook another 2 to 3 minutes, or until wilted; remove from heat.
• Pour the beaten eggs into the mixture in a slow and steady stream, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens. Season with salt, sugar, and vinegar to get a slightly sweet and tangy taste. Pour soup into a large bowl; allow soup to cool before transferring to the refrigerator to chill completely.
• Garnish with any combination of cucumber, chopped egg, sour cream, and dill.

WINTER BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, cover the beef with 6 cups water. Stir in the onion and quartered carrot. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam and fat that rises to the surface. Lower the heat, and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and measure the liquid; there should be about 4 1/2 cups. Reserve the liquid and the meat.
• Return the beef and strained liquid to the pan. Bring to a boil. Add the beets, and return to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the tip of a knife easily pierces the beets. Remove the beets, and allow to cool slightly. Peel them, and grate coarsely. Return the grated beets to the soup.
• Dissolve the tomato paste in 1/2 cup of the soup, and stir back into the pot. Stir in the garlic, grated carrot, cabbage, tomatoes, bay leaf, vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Remove the meat, and discard the bones. Slice the meat 1/2-inch thick, and stir into the soup, along with the cubed potatoes, salt, pepper and the 1/3 cup dill. Return to a boil for 2 minutes.
• If desired, place a half potato in the bottom of each large bowl. Ladle in the soup. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill.

WINTER BORSCHT

Steps:

• Put the broth, beets and potatoes in a large heavy-bottomed pot and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover and stir in the cabbage and red wine vinegar. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (taste for sodium levels in the broth before salting). Simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve warm. Enjoy!

GRANDMA'S BORSCHT (POLISH BEET SOUP)

Steps:

• caramelize the onion in some olive oil.
• Add the potatoes and fry for about 2 minutes, careful not to let the onions and potatoes stick to the bottom of the pan. Use a bit more oil if necessary.
• Add the vegetable stock and carrots. If you use fresh green beans, add them at this point. Bring to a boil. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender.
• Add the beets, green beans, bay leaf, and dill. Simmer for a couple of hours. Serve with sour cream if desired.

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.