True love is best shared over a pot of soup
Planning a special dinner for Valentine’s dinner tomorrow? Whether it be with a romantic partner, close friend, dear family member, or awkward new roommate, share some love this Valentine’s Day with a warm bowl of Borscht! Red beets are the MVP in this Ukrainian soup, turning a medley of vegetables into a dreamy fuchsia fantasy.
Executive Director, Sam Osborne, prepared this soup with love for volunteers, staff, and guests last week, and it was amazing! We hope you continue to share the food love!
Borscht
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Yellow onion, diced
4 Cloves garlic, minced
4-5 Stalks celery, diced
6 Carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
1 Tbsp dried dill
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
2 Quarts vegetable, chicken, beef or mushroom stock or broth
4-5 Red beets, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
3 Medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
2 Cups chopped green cabbage
¾ Cup chopped fresh dill
Sour Cream
Salt & Black Pepper
Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add oil. When hot, add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and dried herbs. Add a healthy pinch of Kosher or coarse sea salt and stir. Reduce heat to medium, and let simmer until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
Pour in stock and bring to a boil. (Tip: If you heat your stock in a separate pot, and add it already boiling, this step will take much less time!)
Add beets, cover and cook at a gentle boil for 30 minutes.
Add potatoes, and continue cooking covered at a gentle boil for 20 minutes.
Add cabbage, and continue cooking covered at a simmer for at least 10-15 more minutes. At this point, you can turn the heat down and leave the Borscht at a simmer for a while (up to an hour more) if you choose, but the soup should be ready to serve after the cabbage has cooked a minimum of 10 minutes.
Stir in 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill, and turn off the heat.
Taste for seasoning, and correct as needed. You may need more or less salt, depending on the sodium content of your stock or broth.
Serving Borscht: I like to serve Borscht the traditional way with a large dollop of sour cream in the middle of the bowl, a sprinkle of fresh chopped dill and a few grinds of black pepper. With dark rye bread and some good butter, you’ve got a delicious, warming winter meal in a bowl. No need for a salad as Borscht packs a powerful veggie punch, but if you insist, I recommend a simple one of butter lettuce, scallions and sliced radishes with a light vinaigrette.
Options: You can add meat to Borscht if you wish. I like to add little chunks of pork jowl bacon at the beginning to render some of the fat before adding the vegetables to the pot. Ground beef or shredded chicken are also good additions. Some people like to add kidney beans and/or chopped tomatoes too. Borscht is very forgiving and lends itself well to improvisation, so experiment, have fun, and enjoy!