Winter is here and with the drastic dip in temperatures it has me craving a hot bowl of soup. There are soups for everyone and every occasion ~ cream-based soups and broth-based soups, meat soups and vegetarian soups, hot soups and cold soups.
The soup I have been eating the longest in my life, probably is borscht. I know, not your typical soup, but a family tradition in my Polish/Czech family. It is our Easter Sunday meal, without fail. Although we usually have a simple, cream based version (essentially cream and beets).
Each person receives a bowl and they can doctor it up to their own specifications. Since it is Easter, we always have ham, polish sausage, hard-boiled eggs and horseradish (have to have the horseradish) that each person can add to our own bowls of delicious beet soup.
BORSCHT
Makes about 8 cups
7 medium sized red beets
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
28 ounce whole plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
2 celery stalks, julienned
1 large leek, julienned
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 cup heavy cream (optional)
Sour cream, optional
Horseradish, optional
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Scrub beets, place together on a large piece of foil, wrap tightly and roast on a baking sheet for about 1 hour, until they can be easily pierced with a fork. Let cool, then slice and cut into thin strips.
Add stock to soup pot. Bring to boil, add tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, celery, leek and tomato paste. Simmer, partially covered until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Add beets, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and cream if using. Simmer, partially covered for another 15 minutes.
Sour cream, optional
Horseradish, optional
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Scrub beets, place together on a large piece of foil, wrap tightly and roast on a baking sheet for about 1 hour, until they can be easily pierced with a fork. Let cool, then slice and cut into thin strips.
Add stock to soup pot. Bring to boil, add tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, celery, leek and tomato paste. Simmer, partially covered until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Add beets, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and cream if using. Simmer, partially covered for another 15 minutes.
Garnish with sour cream and horseradish, if desired.
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