the
russian evening
My former roommate, Kate, had a passed-along borscht
recipe she used to make in the winter. Despite my hatred of beets,
I thoroughly enjoyed this root-vegetable soup one night last
January after I stumbled in after work to find three friends
around my kitchen table partaking of large, steamy bowls of pink
soup, topped (if desired) with dollops of sour cream.
Borscht wasn’t the
thickly pureed, bloody-looking liquid I’d expected. With some
dark bread (try it with farmer’s cheese or spread with veggie
cream cheese) and donated vodka (a smart and generous friend
brought Ketel One, a Dutch vodka, but the most important thing is
not to skimp! This needs to be vodka you can sip and enjoy), the
meal was a perfect one to eat while gabbing, clustered around the
kitchen table and watching snow fall outside. Offering a selection
of hot teas (perhaps with sugar cookies and dried fruit?) is a
good way to extend the warmth, especially if you have a kettle
that whistles!
don't
stop now: still more this way!
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borscht
Like many soups, this borscht recipe isn't quite an exact
science. As it's a family recipe, Kate always made it from
memory, one of those "a little of this, and some of
that" type of dishes. And no one would ever have
guessed! Suffice it to say that the ribs are for making the
stock, the vegetables should be added in amounts to make the
soup a meal rather than a broth, and the remaining
ingredients added to taste.
ingredients
pork
ribs (not much meat is actually needed – it’s the bones
you’ll use)
approximately
equal volumes of …
potatoes
beets
turnips
carrots
cabbage
seasonings
added to taste
sour
salt
salt and pepper
sour cream, if desired
1
Boil the
bones (you want more bone than meat – ribs work) first and
then simmer. Use enough water to cover the meat – about a
quart and a half. This creates the stock.
2
Also add the key
ingredient -- sour salt, but be careful with it, cause it's
strong stuff (about two or three pinches is fine).
3
Add salt and pepper.
4
Add your (chopped)
vegetables: Potatoes, beets, and parsnips first; carrots,
turnips, and cabbage later.
5
Cook it together until
all your vegetables are soft enough to enjoy in soup. Add
any more salt and pepper if needed. Top with sour cream if
desired.
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