Basic Borsch

When I start craving comfort food, one of the first things I make is a good, hearty, basic Borsch.  A bowl of hot, beet soup on a cold day, with maybe a couple slices of a rye bread, or better yet, some boiled pierogis, and I am a happy girl!  I’m half Ukrainian, after all.  Same goes for summertime, on a hot day, a bowl of chilled beet soup…oh nothing beats Borsch! It’s beautiful to look at, full of vitamins, and so easy to make.  You can grow virtually all of the ingredients in your own back yard garden!

Basic Borsch

6 C fresh beets, cut into thin strips

2 potatoes, cubed

1 large onion, sliced

2 C shredded cabbage

3 carrots, cut into thin strips

2 C fresh tomato juice (usually 4-5 Roma tomatoes in the blender)

1 ½ C green beans

10 C water

4 T fresh chopped dill

4 T fresh lemon juice

Cook beets and carrots until tender—about 15 minutes.  Add potatoes and simmer another 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and beans.  Simmer another 10 minutes.

While that pot is simmering:

Sauté onion in butter.  Add the cabbage with about 1/3 C water and cook, covered, on low heat until cabbage is tender.  Stir into the beet mixture.  Add the tomato juice, and bring to boil for 5 minutes.  Turn heat back down to low, and stir in the dill.

Serve with Pierogis and sour cream on the side, or a good rye bread

Serves 12 – 16

Freezes well!

Sound yummy?  If you try it out let me know what you think!  Check out more great recipes under my Killer Cookin’ blog category, and please feel free to share with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!