Darien Cooks | written by: YULIIA SKORODOINYKOVA, Darien High School Senior
Borscht is one of the most ancient and favorite dishes in Ukraine. Each housewife cooks it differently, depending on which region of Ukraine it is prepared in. I picked up the most classic recipe for this delicious soup.
Ingredients
For the Broth
- 6 ½ to 8 ½ cups of water
- Approximately 1 pound of pork or beef on the bone (a bit more or a bit less is fine)
For the Sauté
- 2 small beets
- 1 medium carrot
- 3 medium onions
- 4 to 5 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
- A pinch of citric acid, a little vinegar, or ½ lemon
- 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
For the Borscht
- 1 ¹⁄₃ cups fresh white cabbage, shredded
- 4 medium potatoes, julienned or cubed
- salt to taste
- 1 to 2 dried bay leaves
- Herbs to taste (optional): 1 clove of garlic, pinch of ground cloves, pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Prepare the broth: Pour cold water into a pot, add the meat, and place it over medium heat. The broth will be more flavorful if you use meat on the bone. Watch the broth closely and remove any foam before it boils. Once the liquid starts boiling, cover the pot with a lid and simmer on low heat for about an hour and a half.
2. Prepare the sauté: Wash and peel the beets, carrot and onions. Grate the beets using a coarse grater and the carrot using a medium-sized grater. Dice the onions into small cubes. Pour oil into a frying pan and heat over medium heat. Sauté the onions and carrots, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Then add the grated beets and the citric acid, vinegar or lemon juice to the mixture. This will give the borscht its authentic red color and a pleasant tang. Cook the sauté for another 5 minutes. Next, add the tomato paste, stir and leave it on the heat for another 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Assemble the borscht: Once the broth is cooked, remove the meat from it. While it cools, add the shredded cabbage to the pot. After 5 to 10 minutes, add the julienned or cubed potatoes. The order of adding the vegetables can be adjusted. If the cabbage is young, it’s better to add it after the potatoes. Alternatively, you can add them at the same time if your variety of potatoes cooks quickly. While the potatoes are cooking, separate the meat from the bones and dice it. Return the meat to the soup. Season with salt to taste.
4. Add the sauté to the pot and mix. Add the bay leaf and finely chopped herbs. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes. For additional flavor, you can add some minced garlic, ground cloves or black pepper. Leave the borscht to infuse under the lid for 5 to 10 minutes.
How to serve: You can enjoy borscht immediately after cooking, but it often tastes even better the next day. Add sour cream and fresh herbs to the bowl. If you prefer it more tangy, add a slice of lemon. Serve with rye bread or sweet rolls topped with grated garlic.
We’re pleased to welcome guest contributor Darien High School senior YULIIA SKORODOINYKOVA to our Darien Cooks column this month. Yuliia was born and raised in western Ukraine. She arrived in Darien with her family by way of Poland last August. She is Carolyn Eddie’s intern this spring and will be attending Bard College in New York next fall. Check out carolynsabsolutelyfabulousevents.com for more recipes and please remember to tag her on Instagram @carolynsfabfoods.
