Russian Borsch (Борщ)

Borsch is the quintessential Russian soup, and probably the best known here in America.  It’s very healthy and uses two veggies that I used to dislike: cabbage and beets.  Of course, I had not previously tried beets and therefore thought they were disgusting.  But when cooked properly, they’re a very sweet vegetable, and are even good plain.

And about cabbage, I can say this: I really hate bitter vegetables in the broccoli family (cauliflower, Brussels sprout, etc.).  But when cabbage is cooked into a Russia soup, you barely notice it’s there.  It gives some texture and vitamins to the soup, and really helps to fill you up when eating a bowl of soup as a stand-alone meal.

Served with a heaping spoonful of sour cream and fresh herbs, Borsch is one of the most colorful soups I’ve seen.  And the sour cream gives it a very smooth, creamy taste that’s hard to beat.

Ingredients:

10 Large Potatoes

3 Large (5 Small) Beets

2 Yellow Onions

2-3 Carrots, Shredded (~1.5-2 Cups)

½ Head Cabbage

3 Lbs Pork with Bones (Shoulder)

2 Tbsp Tomato Paste

3 Bay Leaves

30 Pepper Corns

1 Tbsp Sugar

2 Tbsp White Vinegar

   

Needed When Serving:

Diced Dill & Green Onions

Pepper

Sour Cream

White Vinegar

In a large soup pot (3 gallon or so), boil the meat for about two hours with 20 pepper corns and three bay leaves.  Periodically remove meat fat, which floats on the top as the meat boils.

Separately prepare the beets.  Remove the greens and small tap root, but do not peel.  Boil about 45 minutes, or until the beet is cooked through and soft.  You can check with a fork in the same way you’d check a boiled or baked potato.  I’ve also noticed that the beets may float when they’re done, but today, I had only noticed this when they had finished cooking, so I’ll pay attention next time and hopefully update this statement.

 

Shred the carrots in a food processer or a cheese grater.  Fry with the diced onions (~¼” square) in a with a little vegetable or canola oil until the onions are soft.  Add two tablespoons tomato paste and mix well.  Continue frying until the onions are very soft.  Set aside for later.

Peel and dice the potatoes into cubes about ¼ - ½” on a side.  Shred the cabbage in a food processor until the shred is finely chopped.

Once the beets have cooked, cool in cold water until they’re comfortable to handle.  Peeling is easy when the beet has been cooked properly because the skins just about fall off.  Just run your fingers along the outside of the beet until you've removed all the skins.  Chop it in half so it fits into your food processor, and then grate the beats.  You’ll probably end up with pieces that are about an inch or two long, about the diameter of spaghetti or linguine.

After the meat has finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat, remove the meat to cool, and strain the broth.  Return the broth to your soup pot and add about ten fresh pepper corns.

Once you can handle the pork, tease the bones from the meat and remove any large pieces of fat.  Since you’ve boiled the meat so thoroughly, you can simply break the meat into small strips, about 1” long and ½” wide.

Heat the shredded beets in a small sauce pot with one tablespoon sugar, two tablespoons white vinegar, and enough water to cover the beets.  Simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes on low heat before adding to the broth.  I’m guessing the vinegar helps break down the beet further, releasing more of the internal juice.  Then again, I could be completely wrong, and when I asked Anastasia about the purpose of this step, she shrugged and said, “I don’t know.  Maybe to make it softer and sweeter?  It’s what my mom does.”  

Add all ingredients to the broth.  Cook the soup until the potatoes are cooked-through.

Dice some green onions (scallions) and dill, but don’t add to the whole batch of soup.  You’ll want to keep this garnish fresh, so just add it to each bowl of soup as you serve it.  And with all Russian soups, remember that it’s typical to prepare a large pot of soup and then reheat small batches during the week.

For this and most Russian soups, a proper table setup always includes fresh flowers to please the ladies, lots of sour cream, and shakers of salt and pepper.  If you have a mortar & pestle, you may consider grinding the pepper to a fine pepper, as it provides even more peppery flavor to your soup.

Each diner should add a heaping spoonful of sour cream to his/her soup, followed by some salt and pepper to taste.  Mix the soup well before you enjoy your creation.

Eat well.

JK