Lazy Borscht Recipes

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.

THE BEST RUSSIAN BORSCHT RECIPE (BEET SOUP)

Steps:

• Start with cutting the vegetables and meat first. Keep them all in separate bowls.
• Bring 2,5 L water to boil and add 3 bay leaves, half of the chopped garlic, the meat and 1 tsp salt.
• Reduce heat, partially cover and let it all simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes.
• In the meantime, heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, the remaining garlic and cook until the onion turns golden/brown.
• Add the carrot to the onion/garlic and cook until al dente, around 5 minutes. Add more butter if it seems too dry.
• Add the beets, the beet juice, 125 ml of water and tomatoes to the skillet. Cover the skillet and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, set aside.
• Once the meat has been cooking for at least 30 minutes, add the cut potatoes to the meat. Bring to a boil and cook till potatoes are al dente, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add the shredded white cabbage and boil until softened.
• Turn to the skillet and add the beet mixture to the meat bouillon. Let it boil for about 3 minutes or until everything is properly cooked through.
• Turn heat off and season the soup with the vinegar, sugar, pepper, fresh parsley, fresh dill and salt. Taste and season more if needed.
• Serve with dark bread and sour cream.

BEET AND CABBAGE BORSCHT

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, cabbage and onion and sauté until cabbage softens, about 5 minutes. Add 8 cups broth, beets and tomatoes. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Working in small batches, puree 4 cups of soup in blender; return to remaining soup in pot. If desired, add more broth by 1/2 cupfuls to thin soup. Add lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle soup into bowls. Top with dollop of sour cream; sprinkle with parsley. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

UKRAINIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Gently cook the onion and garlic in butter in a large saucepan until tender.
• Cook beets for about 10-15 minutes in boiling water or stock, then add the carrots. Boil for another 10-15 minutes.
• Add the potatoes and dill. When potatoes are still firm (but not hard), add cabbage and beet leaves.
• Add celery, sausage and tomatoes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Add peas, sour cream (stirring out the lumps) and salt. Simmer, half covered, until remaining vegetables are tender (but not mushy).
• Stir in vinegar and serve hot.

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.

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.

LAZY BORSCHT

Steps:

• Cut potatoes into small cubes.
• Add chicken stock to pot, then add cubed potatoes.
• While potatoes are cooking, brown onions in oil in a skillet.
• When potatoes are almost done, add cole slaw mix, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic clove.
• Let cook for 10-15 minutes; then add browned onions and bacon bits.
• Add tomato paste next and let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add beets, along with lemon juice, to prevent the beet color from fading.
• If you find the soup too sour from the lemon juice, you can use sugar to correct flavor.
• In the end add dill, salt and pepper to taste and turn off the stove.
• Let the borsch brew for another 10 minutes.
• Serve the borsch with sour cream the next day --- best to refrigerate overnight.