Modern Borscht
This is a modern take on classic Eastern European Borscht. Meat is sometimes used in borscht recipes, but we have removed the meat so this is 100% vegetarian!
Equipment
- 3 large bowls
- 1 5 quart pot (5 litre pot) with a lid
- 1 strainer
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 3 carrots
- 2 large beets or 3 medium beets
- 4 celery shoots
- 2 large potatoes Yukon Gold preferred, but any quality potatoes work
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- 4 cups of vegetable stock or quality vegetable bullion such as “Better than Bullion” or equivalent and 4 cups water
- 1/2 head of cabbage
- 1 heaping tbsp Cumin
- 1 heaping tbsp ground Coriander
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Fresh or dehydrated dill
- Salt / Pepper
- Sour Cream Optional
Instructions
- Finely dice onion and garlic cloves. Set aside in large bowl 1.
- Cut off beet greens. Skin carrots and beets.
- Finely slice carrots and celery (2-3 mm maximum, 1/16-1/8″ maximum). Add to large bowl 1.
- Shred beets using cheese grater. Or, if preferred, cut into small cubes no greater than 1×1 inch in size. Shredded beets break down better when cooked and release more flavor into the broth. Set aside in large bowl 2.
- 15 minutes before the end of the first simmer – Cut potatoes into 1×1 cubes. Do not cut them too soon or the flesh will turn brown.
- After adding potatoes into the simmering mixture – Remove outer leaf and cut head of cabbage into quarters. Then dice the quarters.
- Use high heat and get the 5qt pot hot. Flick a few drops of water onto the pot and when they start “dancing” it is hot enough.
- Coat the bottom of the pot with a thin layer of olive oil and let it heat up for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the carrot/onion/celery/garlic mixture from large bowl 1 to the hot pot.
- Add 1/4 to 1/3 stick of butter to this veggie mixture. Stir and agitate constantly until onions and celery are translucent and carrots begin to soften.
- Add the beets from large bowl 2, the canned tomatoes, the stock, the cumin, the bay leaves, and the coriander to the pot. Stir until well blended.
- Bring mixture to a boil on high heat. When a boil is achieved, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 60 minutes with the lid on. REMINDER – after 45 minutes, cube the potatoes.
- After 60 minutes of simmering, add the cubed potatoes and the dill (to taste) to the mixture. Stir until well blended. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. REMINDER – during this 15 minute simmer, dice the 1/2 head of cabbage.
- After 15 minutes, or until potatoes are soft, add the cabbage to the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes uncovered to heat the cabbage.
- Serve. The cabbage should be hot, yet still crunchy. It will retain this crunchiness through refrigeration and re-heating due to the short heat cycle. 1-2 spoonfulls of sour cream is recommended per bowl for additional flavor.
