Скачать или смотреть Vegetarian Red Beets Soup (Borscht)

The vegetarian Borscht is the one of the healthiest soups you can have in your diet. It has unsurpassed and unique taste but at the same time offers great amount of essential vitamins, minerals and microelements that we need for our body. The vegetables used in Borscht are rich in Vitamin C, antioxidants, Vitamin B. The beets and cabbage have extremely effective detox benefits. This amazing soup will fill you with energy, improve your digestion, brain activities, working capacity and will tone up your body.
Borscht always tastes better after it spends a night in the fridge . This recipe will serve at least 8 people. You can store borscht for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Note: You can use this recipe for non-vegetarian version of Borscht. The only difference is you will cook the meat first to make a broth (pork is the best choice for Borscht) and sauté first 5 ingredients in the separate skillet and added to the Borscht after the meat is done.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 medium shallots, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 medium carrot, shredded (1 ½ cup)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
7 cups hot water
3 medium russet potatoes, cubed (3 cups)
4 cups thinly sliced white cabbage (about ½ of the cabbage head)
1 can whole peeled tomatoes, pureed (28 oz.) (see the note below)
2 medium red beets, cooked (see below) and shredded (2 cups)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dry parsley
2-3 tsp. salt (more if needed)
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp. crashed red pepper – optional
½ cup fresh dill, chopped

Sour cream and fresh dill for garnish

Beets cooking choice:

Baked beets:
Put beets in the skin on the sheet of heavy duty tin foil, drizzle with olive oil, wrap and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour 30 min. Cool them completely and peel off the skin. Keep beets in the fridge, if using them next day.
Baked beets are much sweeter then boiled beets and they have rich, red color.

OR

Boiled beets:
Put beets in a large saucepan, fill up with water and set over high heat. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook beets for 1 hour. Drain, let cool, and peel off the skin.

Note:* In this recipe I used whole tomatoes pureed in the food processor. It makes Borscht thicker and gives more rich taste. You can also use crashed tomatoes or tomato sauce. If you like thinner base in the soup, you can use the tomato juice.

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot (at least 5 qtrs.) over medium heat. Add the onion and shallots and cook for 3-4 min., stirring occasionally.
2. Add shredded carrots and cook for another 2-3 min.
3. Add garlic, bay leaves and 1 tsp. salt. Stir and cook for another minute.
4. Carefully add 7 cups hot water and bring it to a boil.
5. Add potatoes and cabbage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and leave the lid slightly open, cook for 20-25 min.
6. Add pureed tomatoes, shredded cooked beets, 1 tsp. salt, lemon juice, dry parsley, black pepper, and red crushed pepper. Cover with a lid slightly open and simmer for another 15-20 min., stirring occasionally.
7. Taste the Borscht and add more salt, if needed. Add fresh dill, stir well and remove from the heat just when it starts boil again. Discard bay leaves.
8. Let it rest for at least 1 hour before serving. It always tastes better the next day.
9. Serve Borscht in a deep bowl. Garnish with 1 tbsp. sour cream or crème fraiche and chopped fresh dill.

Eat healthy and have fun cooking!