November 2, 2012

Borscht


Honestly, I didn't become friends with beets until the past few years. As a kid, I couldn't stand them...as an adult, I love them. We were given a large bag of beets and for some reason I became determined that I must make borscht. Why? I'm not sure - other than the fact that I like to try cuisine from all over the world. I've never eaten borscht, but for some reason I felt like it was my duty to turn some of these beets into it. There seem to be numerous spellings of borscht and even more ways that you can make it. I read a bunch of different recipes, surveyed my fridge and freezer, and this is what I came up with. I must say that both my husband and I were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed it.

This recipe is a bit time consuming, but it's worth it to get the best flavored broth and to get a lot of the excess fat skimmed off the top. This photo is from right before we ate it, but, like pretty much any soup or stew, it gets better the next day. It's a nice meal for these cold and rainy days we are having and it will easily serve four to six people.


Borscht
1 pat butter
about 1 lb beef short ribs, preferably from grass-fed pastured cows
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1 small onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups beef broth
3 cups water
4 medium-large beets, peeled and finely diced
1 large russet potato, peeled and finely diced
3 cups shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (more to taste)
sour cream, for serving
fresh minced dill, for serving

In a heavy bottom soup pot, warm the butter. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Place them in the hot pot and let cook for a few minutes on each side until browned. Add the onion and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the beef stock and water. Stir well. Bring to a low boil, cover, and cook until the beef is cooked through and begins to fall off the bone, about 45 minutes. Let cool and refrigerate overnight.

Skim the excess fat off the top of the liquid. Remove the short ribs and set aside on a cutting board. Warm the broth over medium heat. When hot, add the beets and potato. Let simmer until they are softened. In the meantime, remove the meat from the short ribs and shred it (discard the bones, fat, etc.). Add the cabbage to the pot along with the shredded beef. Stir and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.

 
What was I cooking one year ago?: apple-stuffed acorn squash 
Two years ago?: maple roasted turnips   

19 comments:

  1. Beets have been one of my favorites since I was a little kid. I know almost all beet recipes tend to take some time, but always so worth it! :)

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  2. This looks delicious but I have an aversion to beets. Great color though!

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  3. What a beautiful color! I also have a bag of beets in the garage from the farm market....we usually just roast them and eat them with some great vinegar sprinkled over them. I also learned to love beets only 5 years ago. My mom used to serve them from a can - fresh are incredible!

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  4. Hooray! It came together! *phew* that was a process… It came out even more beautiful than I imagined, and I bet it was delicious.

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  5. I actually love borscht, but have never even contemplated making it at home. Your version looks fantastic. Impressive!

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  6. I love beets but have never even tasted Borscht much less make it myself. Something I need to rememdy! It looks beautiful.

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  7. This is the first season I've really taken to beets, and I've been wondering what took me so long! Like you, they are a recent "discovery," and this recipe looks like a great way to enjoy them on a cold day.

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  8. I'm so silly--I've never had this before, can you imagine? It sounds heavenly and I hope to try it soon--thank you for the introduction =)

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  9. What a gorgeous soup! I'm such a beet lover, I don't know why I haven't made this myself. Thanks for sharing your recipe...I hope to try it soon :)

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  10. This looks good with lovely color! I'm a beet lover so this is definitely my kind of soup! Great for diet too , beets are low in calories as well! :)

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  11. I'm not a beet lover but your photos have convinced me I should try borscht again. It's such a gorgeous colour!

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  12. I keep trying, but still don't love beets- maybe this is what I need to try!

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  13. This is packed full of delicious stuff! I mean ribs, potatoes, cabbage and beets? You can't go wrong! Sounds incredible.

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  14. Oh my goodness, I love love love borscht. I have never tried it until a few years ago when I went to a family dinner at my boyfriends house. Now I'm hooked!

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  15. I love the colours and flavours of this soup... looks so delicious...

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  16. I love what you said about beets and being friends. I'm not sure beets and I are friends either. I've never eaten borscht, but you've made it look and sound delicious. And I know my husband would love it.
    Sam

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  17. I didn't like beets either as a kid. Now I love them too! This borscht soup is perfect for the cold winter days!

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  18. I vacillate back and forth with beets. I love them, I hate them, I love them, I hate them...The times I love them? In borscht! Somehow, when it's made into a delicious soup like this, it looses some of it's earthy, moldy soil smell. Your borscht looks great! I'm very sure if I make this for my Polish friends, they will be very surprised.

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  19. I've never had anything like this before! Thanks for linking up to the Celebrate 365 Blog Party!

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