Spring Greens Borscht Recipes

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.

BEETS-WITH-GREENS BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a soup pot, combine beets (not greens), bones, cabbage, tomatoes, onion, 8 cups water, bay leaf and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, put potatoes in a medium saucepan of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a cutting board. Add chopped greens to boiling water and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice.
• Discard bay leaf. Remove bones, remove meat from bones, chop meat and return meat to soup. Taste and add salt if needed. Ladle soup into bowls and season with white pepper. Top with potatoes and greens, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

CHILLED GREEN BORSCHT

Steps:

• For the stock, wash the leeks by trimming their ends, slicing them lengthwise in quarters and separating and rinsing each layer under cold water. Put them in a large pot along with the other ingredients, cover with 6 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, until only a 1/2 gallon of liquid remains. Remove from the heat, strain and discard the solids.
• For the soup, melt the butter in a large pan. Wash the leeks thoroughly; trim so only the white part remains; julienne and soften them in a large pot over medium-low heat, stirring, about 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beets and continue to cook, stirring, 5 minutes; then add the lima beans and cook 5 minutes more.
• Add the zucchini, lettuce, sorrel and beet greens, cover with the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add 1/2 cup of the pickle juice and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add 1/8 cup of the dill and cool in the refrigerator. Before serving, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of pickle juice, the vinegar, salt, pepper and remaining dill. Serve chilled with a dollop of sour cream in each bowl. (The borscht can be made several days ahead.)

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.

BEET GREEN BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a large frying pan, melt 1/4 cup of margarine or butter.
• Add chopped onions and saute' for 5 minutes but do not brown.
• Add mashed tomatoes including liquid and simmer until reduced to about half (about 20 minutes) then set aside.
• In a large cooking pot, add 16 cups of water and bring to boil.
• Add salt, potato quarters, chopped carrots and the beet and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
• When potatoes are tender, remove into a bowl and mash.
• Add the remainder 1/4 cup of margarine or butter, half and half cream to the mashed potatoes and mix well, then set aside.
• Trim tail ends of the young beets, and scrub only, then cut into small pieces and add to soup pot.
• Chop beet greens into medium size pieces and add to soup pot.
• Add cubed potatoes, spinach greens, green and red peppers, green beans, chopped celery, cauliflower florets and cook until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
• Add mashed potato mixture, tomato/onion mixture, green onions, fresh dill weed and bring to boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Add lemon juice and stir well.
• Adjust spices to taste.
• Cover and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
• Refrigerate any unused portion of soup.

GREEN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Bring the beef stock to a boil in a large pot.
• Add the onion, salt and sorrel or other greens and lemon juice; add potatoes and cook for ten minutes.
• Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.
• Remove from heat and place into a large tureen and stir in the cream; add the dill.
• Serve and garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkling of minced scallion and slices of egg.