De Ma Cuisine

Borscht Archive

Wednesday

11

April 2012

1

COMMENTS

Rachel’s Borscht – Episode 18

Written by , Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, Legacy, Soups, This Week's Feast, Thoughts, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I missed Oma this past weekend especially. She used to make a traditional Easter bread called Paska. I thought of her as I made it. Since I’m missing her, since I have some beets to use, and since the weather is cool right now, I’m making Borscht for this week’s episode of A Cooking Show with Rachel O. Oma made the best Borscht. Mine is not as good. I’m not sure I could ever make anything as good as she did. Not being self-deprecating, she was just a great cook.

Borscht traditionally has things like cabbage, beets, beef, dill, and potatoes. This version has more veggies (why not?!) and no meat or dill (I didn’t have any). From this week’s Abundant Harvest Organics box, there are: parsnips, carrots, beets, cabbage, spring onions, fresh garlic, tomatoes, and a daikon radish (from an older box: potatoes). Like I said, not traditional, but still so good! Top it with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, and serve it with some good bread, and there’s dinner. Perfect for a chilly spring night.

I also made my own vegetable stock for the soup. My friend, Elizabeth, asked if I would show how to make some of these things I often have on hand (like stocks). So in this episode, I’ll not only show you how to make Borscht, but also Vegetable Stock.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we always do. And, make lots, it’s even better the next day!!!

Happy Eating!

Rachel’s Borscht – Episode 18

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Yield: 6-8

Rachel’s Borscht – Episode 18

Ingredients

  • 2 carrots, quartered and chopped
  • 2 parsnips, quartered and chopped
  • 1 daikon radish, quartered and chopped
  • 4 large or 6 small potatoes, chopped
  • 7 beets, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 spring onion, chopped
  • 1 fresh garlic, chopped
  • 1 small cabbage, shredded
  • 8-11 C veggie stock (or 6 C stock, 3-5 C water)
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 t salt
  • pepper
  • 1 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 C white vinegar
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • yogurt, for topping

Instructions

  1. Heat soup pot. Add oil. Add garlic, onion, and tomato. Smash tomatoes with potato masher. Cook a few minutes. Add all remaining veggies, except cabbage. Add salt, pepper, and white vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes, or until veggies are getting tender.
  2. Add honey, balsamic vinegar, and 8 C stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook 2-4 hours. Add 2-3 C more stock after an hour or two of cooking.
  3. (Add 2-3 C water, if needed, bring to a boil.) Add cabbage. Cook 30 minutes more.
  4. Add 1 T lemon juice.
  5. Serve topped with a dolup of yogurt.

Notes

The white vinegar is supposed to set the color of the beets, so they don’t bleed as much. It didn’t work in mine. 🙂 Borscht normally has beef and beef stock. I didn’t have any today, so I made a vegetarian version. It also normally has dill. I didn’t have any of that either. Borscht is always better the second day. I don’t know why. It just is.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/rachels-borscht-ep-18/

This episode was sponsored by Abundant Harvest OrganicsBari Olive Oil Company, and Molly Jenson.

Friday

21

October 2011

2

COMMENTS

For Oma and Her Borscht – Beet and Beef Borscht

Written by , Posted in Beef, Dinner, Gluten Free, Inspired By, Legacy, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, One Dish Dinners, Potatoes, Soups, Vegetables

Beef-and-Beet-Borscht1

This post is for my Oma, who will probably never read it, as I’m quite certain that she’s not online.

My Oma is a wonderful cook. She’s one of the best, in my opinion. When we were little and we’d go to visit, she would have Chicken Noodle Soup for those of us who hadn’t yet discovered the wonders of Borscht. I didn’t know what I was missing! Her Borscht is amazing! She has two different kinds: Beef Borscht (I don’t know if that’s the real title, it might also be called Winter Borscht) and Sommer Borscht (pronounced like Zumma). I had the Sommer Borscht recently for the first time and it’s oh so good. She also makes Zwieback (the buns being made by me in the above photo), which I have memories of making with her as a small girl. I’ve made them since, as a grownup, and while they’re not quite the same, they’re pretty good (I have her Zwieback recipe, in her handwriting, so they’re as close as they can get!).

Beets1

Oma’s Borscht is made differently than mine, but they’re the same idea. A meat and potatoes soup that has a dollop of sour cream on top. I make mine with beets (which I’m told she doesn’t) and she makes hers with dill (which I don’t). There may be other variances too, but those are the main ones.

I think Borscht came from a time where people used what they had out of necessity. I used what I had (beets) because I wanted to (and because it’s the only way we like beets in our house). This is how I normally cook, and why most of my recipes are uniquely my own. Some are inspired by a magazine, a blog, a cookbook. Others are concocted by standing in front of the pantry cupboards, or the fridge with the door open (I used to get in trouble for this as a kid) summoning my creative culinary skills to create something delicious. Either way, I’m often inspired to use things that we already have, often that have come in our Abundant Harvest Organics produce box, in a fresh, creative way.

I’ve made Borscht many times before, but until recently, had never written it down. So, here’s my most recent version, probably slightly different from any other, but good none-the-less.

Happy Eating!

Beet and Beef Borscht

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 17 minutes

Yield: 4

Beet and Beef Borscht

Ingredients

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1/2 - 1 lb. (stewing) beef*
  • 4 carrots, chopped
  • 4 celery stalks, chopped
  • 4 lg. or 8 sm. radishes, chopped (opt.)
  • 3 med. - lg. potatoes, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 8 sm. beets, peeled and chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, diced
  • 1 T (or more) red wine vinegar
  • 1 C crushed tomatoes
  • 2 - 4 C water
  • 4 C beef (or chicken, or vegetable) stock*
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1 C cabbage, chopped
  • Greek yogurt (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Heat soup pot. Add olive oil, then beef. Cook beef 3 - 5 minutes.
  2. Add carrots through beets, cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, cook 1 minute. Add the vinegar, to deglaze the pan, cook about 1 minute more.
  3. Add tomatoes, water, stock. salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 1-2 hours, adding the cabbage in the last 30 minutes or so. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
  4. Serve topped with yogurt.

Notes

*To make it vegetarian, omit beef, and use vegetable stock.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/for-oma-and-her-borscht/