Favorite borscht recipe

[Guest guest]

I recently had occasion to post this on my blog, and made it, too.  I figured it

would only be right to share it with y'all, since I hardly ever post recipes.  I

found it online someplace a long time ago, put it in my recipe database, and

tweaked it a few times.  It's an excellent way to kill all the root vegetables

in a winter farmers' co-op box.  The mushroom broth *really* makes it.  It looks

like an awful lot of vegetables and prep work, but if you prep your vegetables

in the morning, it comes together in the evening pretty quickly. 

 

Oh, and my Russian wife likes it lots, which I think is a good endorsement!  :-)

 

Blessed be,

Jayelle

 

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 pound white mushrooms, trimmed, wiped clean, and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 large onion, cut into 3/4 inch dice

10 small or 7 to 8 medium beets (about 1-1/2 pounds), with greens, peeled,

quartered, and cut across into 1/4-inch slices

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut across into 1/4 inch rounds

1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut across into 1/4 inch rounds

1 small celery root (about 3/4 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 pound white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 small green cabbage (about 3/4 pound), cored and shredded

2 large cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and very finely chopped

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 medium bunch dill, fronds only, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 

For Serving:

Coarsely chopped dill

Sour cream

 

Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the

liquid, and squeeze out the excess liquid. Strain all the soaking liquid through

a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve the liquid and the mushrooms separately.

 

In a tall narrow stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the fresh

mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Stir in the onion and

cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.

 

Add the beets, carrots, parsnip, celery root, 8 cups water, and the mushroom

soaking liquid. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir

in the potatoes, cabbage, garlic, and the beet greens. Dissolve the tomato paste

in 1/2 cup of the liquid and stir it back into the soup. Return to a boil. Lower

the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the reconstituted dried mushrooms and

simmer for 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.

 

Remove from the heat. Stir in the dill, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Pass bowls of chopped dill and sour cream at the table. Makes about 8 servings.

 

 

" Love sometimes wants to do us a great favor: hold us upside down and shake all

the nonsense out. " -- Hafiz

 

 

Cracker Lilo's Front Porch--my personal blog 

Cocktails with the Penguins--a spirited approach to Pittsburgh Penguins hockey

 

GO SMOKE GO!!!