Dinner Tonight: Vegetarian Borscht
Who's ready for another cheap soup recipe? This one is as economical and simple as they come, is ready in minutes, and is far richer and warming than it has any credit being. The recipe comes via the Estonian food blog Nami-Nami, where I was looking for ideas to put the epic amounts of cabbage and beets that are plentiful here in Estonia to good use. It is simply beets, onions, carrots, and cabbage, all cut into shreds and matchsticks, sauteed then simmered together until everything turns a strange and beautiful pink.
Borscht is a popular soup in this part of Europe, with numerous hearty variations that almost always feature the earthy beet. The majority of the time the soup has meat in it, but I didn't miss it one bit (nor did I notice that the soup has hardly any fat). I made a huge pot and the leftovers have only grown tastier. The flavor is light and hearty at the same time, made gently sour by the addition of lemon juice, and far greater than the sum of its parts.
About the author: Blake Royer founded The Paupered Chef with Nick Kindelsperger, where he writes about food and occasional travels. He is currently living for the year in Tartu, Estonia.
Vegetarian Borscht
- serves 6 -
Adapted from Nami-Nami
Ingredients
1 pound beets (beetroot), peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 medium onions, sliced into half-moons
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
3/4 pound white cabbage, cut thinly into shreds
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cups vegetable stock
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt to taste
Coarsely ground black pepper
Sour cream (optional, omit for vegan soup)
Finely chopped parsley or chives (optional, for garnish)
Procedure
1. Peel and cut the onions, carrots, and beets (alternatively, shred the carrots and beets using the shredding blade of a food processor) and sauté over medium heat in the olive oil with a pinch of salt in a large soup pot. Reserve a small amount of beet to grate and add near the end to enliven the color.
2. In the meantime, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. When the vegetables are soft (about 5 minutes), add the shredded cabbage and the hot stock. Bring to a boil and simmer 15-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. With a few minutes left, add the reserved grated beet.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then squeeze in the lemon juice, aiming for a pleasing but subtle sour taste. Serve with freshly grated black pepper, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped parsley, if desired.
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7 Comments:
I add garlic, red cabbage, potato, rutabaga, dillweed and caraway seeds to mine.
I have to say; after eating this dish and the sublime leftovers for 5 days straight, never have I felt more hale, rosy and fresh as a daisy. SRSLY.
conky at 5:17PM on 02/12/09
Not to split hairs, but the sour cream makes it lacto, not vegetarian. I know the text says, "if desired." but the photo has it.
BrianPrestonCampbell at 6:48PM on 02/12/09
@Brian: You mean to say it's not vegan. Ordinary vegetarianism does not exclude dairy. Lacto-vegetarianism is a more specific term that implies one eats dairy but not eggs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarian
bialy at 11:08PM on 02/12/09
Tofutti makes an awesome vegan sour cream that's widely available in traditional grocery stores and always available at wholefoods. Cruelty-free always tastes better. :) http://www.tofutti.com/ss.shtml
And for the record, it's just as cruel to consume dairy as it is to eat meat. Check out this great site for more info: http://www.chooseveg.com/dairy.asp
AnnnaNonymous at 9:35PM on 04/19/09
We only buy milk or milk products from organic, free range farmers. We never buy veal. It doesn't have to be this way.
Circey at 12:24PM on 05/02/09
wow! this was excellent. I woke up with a random craving for and this really hit the spot! it's also one of the most aesthetically pleasing dishes I've ever cooked, so many deep colors. =)
I had a hard time estimating the right amount of beets so I ended up adding a few extra cups of stock, but it was *very* good, just like I remember from Russia! thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
feralnostalgia at 4:44AM on 07/08/09
Quite good. This was my first time making borscht (and, I think, my first time eating it), and this couldn't be simpler—it's almost a one-pot meal. I ate it with parsleyed baby potatoes and black bread with mustard and pickles, and it was great. I also substituted a small parsnip for one of the carrots.
One small complaint: I used a whole lemon's worth of juice, and it still didn't have the sourness it's supposed to have. I'm guessing that lemons aren't the traditional method of imparting sourness, so I'm going to look at a few other recipes. Still, this one—with perhaps some small modifications—is a keeper.
Travis at 7:32PM on 11/19/09