Hefty Borscht Food

BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cover the beets with cold water by l inch. Stir in 1/4 cup of the vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, cool, and peel the beets. Dice the beets and set aside.
• Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery, leeks, garlic, and caraway seeds and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes.
• Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot with the beets, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes to bring the flavors together.
• Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Season with pepper to taste. To serve divide among warm soup bowls, top with dollops of the sour cream and sprinkle with the dill. Serve with additional vinegar at the table.

BORSCHT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Put the vegetables and garlic on a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil (or a doubled piece of regular), drizzle with olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt add the rosemary. Seal the foil to make a tight package. Put the package in a roasting pan. Roast until the beets can be pierced easily with a knife, about 1 to 1/2 hours. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them¿the skins should slide right off with a bit of pressure from your fingers. If they don't, use a paring knife to scrape off any bits that stick.
• Put 1/2 of the vegetables in a food processor with 1/2 of the broth and puree. Transfer the puree to a saucepan. Repeat with the remaining vegetables and broth. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and season with pepper, and simmer over medium heat until the flavors come together, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the buttermilk and Worcestershire.
• Ladle Borscht into bowls and garnish with dill.

HEFTY BORSCHT

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 4-quart pot with a cover. Add short ribs and brown on all sides, then transfer to a plate. Pour off all but a film of fat from pan. Add onion, fennel and garlic and sauté on medium until soft. Add cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until cabbage starts to wilt. Add beets, tomato paste, vinegar and celery seed. Stir.
• Return meat to pot. Add bay leaves and stock, adjust heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 1 1/2 hours, until meat is fork tender.
• Remove meat. Cut out bones and gristle and discard. Dice meat and return to pot. Reheat, check seasoning, and serve with sour cream or yogurt and potatoes on the side.

BORSCH

Steps:

• To make the stock, put the meat, whole onion, bay leaf and 2 litres of lightly salted cold water in a large saucepan. Cook over a very low heat for 1 hr 30 mins or until the beef shin is soft and falls apart easily - this can take up to 3 hrs. Skim off the scum with a spoon from time to time. Break up any larger pieces of beef into the broth, remove the whole onion and discard.
• Add the potatoes to the borscht, season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the diced onion and carrot, and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the carrot is soft and is about to start caramelising.
• Add the beetroot and cook for around 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, if using, and cook for another 2 mins, then add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, then increase the heat and boil to reduce slightly, before adding everything to the borscht.
• Add the shredded cabbage and the kidney beans, and cook for 7-10 mins or until tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, lots of chopped dill and some crusty bread.

UKRAINIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Cook beets, carrots and onion in the 3 cans beef broth for 20 minutes.
• Add cabbage and butter, and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes.
• Season to taste.
• Stir in lemon juice.
• Now let it sit (but you don't have to), for an hour or so. Reheat or leave at temperature and serve with sour cream.
• This is better the next day!

RUSSIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place the first six ingredients in a large soup kettle or Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute beets in 1 tablespoon oil for 3 minutes. stir in vinegar; set aside. Remove beef with a slotted spoon; cool. Remove meat from the bones; discard bones. Cut meat into chunks; set aside. strain broth, discarding peppercorns and bay leaves. Skim fat. Add enough water to broth to measure 6 cups; return to kettle. Add potatoes, carrots, cabbage, parsley and beets. Bring to a boil., In a skillet, saute onion in remaining oil for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Whisk into soup. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. add tomatoes. process soup in small batches in a blender or food processor; pour into a large saucepan. Add beef; heat through. Garnish with sour cream.