Baba's Homeland Borscht

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups soup stock
  • 3-4 medium beets, washed and diced (with leaves)
  • 2-3 medium carrots, thinly sliced or diced
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 cooking onions, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 head small wine cabbage, shredded
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup of cooked beans
  • 1 cup of beet kvass
  • 3-4 fresh bay leaves
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
  • sour cream

Instructions:

Saute the onions and garlic with the oil in a large pot for 7 to 10 minutes. Add the soup stock, cabbage and bay leaves. Cover the pot and boil for 15 minutes.

Add the beets and carrots, reduce to low heat and let simmer until tender. About 45 minutes.

Add the chopped beet leaves, tomato paste, beans, dill, salt, beet kvass and pepper. Simmer on low for another 5 minutes.

Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and add a slice of rye bread on the side.

 

Anhelena's Green Summer Borscht

Ingredients:

  • 1 small onion
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 6 cups soup stock
  • 1 medium potato, diced
  • 1 cup chopped vegetables (carrots, celery)
  • 3 cups or more chopped sorrel
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped dill
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs

Instructions:

Cook the onion in the butter until it's translucent. Add the vegetables and lightly saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the soup stock and cook until the vegetables are very tender.

Using a hand blender, blend the vegetables in the pot or strain and press them through a sieve. Toss in the sorrel and ocntinue cooking for a few minutes.

Season to taste. You may add a little lemon juice if you want a tart taste. Then add the dill.

When ready to serve, place halves of the hard-boiled egg, yolk-side up, in the bottom of the bowl and fill it with the borscht.

Serve with croutons or fresh rye bread and garlic