**Borscht, a vibrant and hearty soup, is a beloved dish in many Eastern European countries, including Latvia and Ukraine. This versatile soup boasts a rich history and diverse regional variations, each with its unique flavors and ingredients. In this article, we present two delectable recipes: Latvian Borschtaka and Ukrainian Borshch. Latvian Borschtaka, also known as Skābeņu zupa, is a delightful vegetarian soup characterized by its tangy sourness derived from sorrel leaves. Ukrainian Borshch, on the other hand, is a meat-based soup that showcases the bold flavors of beef, cabbage, and beets. Both recipes promise a symphony of flavors and textures, making them perfect for a comforting meal. Whether you prefer the vibrant red hue of Ukrainian Borshch or the refreshing green of Latvian Borschtaka, these recipes offer a culinary journey to the heart of Eastern European cuisine.**
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
UKRAINIAN RED BORSCHT SOUP
My friend's mother from Ukraine taught me this recipe for the classic beet soup. It's as authentic as it gets. It can be served vegetarian-style by omitting the sausage.
Provided by Patti
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Vegetable Soup Recipes Borscht
Time 1h5m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Crumble the sausage (if using) into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until no longer pink. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Fill a large pot halfway with water(about 2 quarts), and bring to a boil. Add the sausage, and cover the pot. Return to a boil. Add the beets, and cook until they have lost their color. Add the carrots and potatoes, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the cabbage, and the can of diced tomatoes.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Stir in the tomato paste and water until well blended. Transfer to the pot. Add the raw garlic to the soup, cover and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Taste, and season with salt, pepper and sugar.
- Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with sour cream, if desired, and fresh parsley.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 256.9 calories, Carbohydrate 24.4 g, Cholesterol 31 mg, Fat 13.8 g, Fiber 4.8 g, Protein 10.1 g, SaturatedFat 5.2 g, Sodium 626.3 mg, Sugar 8 g
LATVIAN BORSCHT(AKA UKRAINIAN BORSHCH)
This fabulous, many layered, complex borshch is compliments of Sandor Fenyvesi, an air traffic controller in Budapest, Hungary, who was educated at a special school for navigating officers and air traffic controllers in Riga, Latvia, when he was 18 years old and learned this soup while there. Serve this authentic Ukrainian soup hot to 6-8 people as a substantial first course or as a main course.
Provided by Steve P.
Categories Pork
Time P1DT4h30m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Heat the stock in a large soup pot, add cabbage and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, mix the beets, vinegar, bacon fat, sugar, and tomatoes in a saucepan and cook gently, covered, for about 5 minutes.
- Set aside.
- Then, in another small pan, heat the butter, mix in the onion, carrot, and parsley root (or parsnip), and braise.
- When the cabbage and potatoes are finished simmering, add the beet mixture, the onion mixture, the peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves--and cook another 10 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped garlic, the remaining bacon fat, and the chopped parsley.
- Then turn the heat down to a very low simmer, lightly cover the pot, and simmer very slowly for about 4½ hours.
- Turn off the heat, let cool, and allow to ripen for about 12-18 hours.
- When ready to serve, reheat gently then ladle into bowls.
- Top each with a teaspoonful of sour cream and serve with a slice of dark rye bread.
UKRAINIAN BORSCHT
Provided by Food Network
Time 3h15m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- In a large casserole combine meats with broth or water, bay leaf, peppercorns and allspice, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, skimming frequently, for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Strain soup, reserving broth and meats separately. Remove meat from the ham hocks, discarding any gristle or bone and cut it into dice. Cut beef into cubes. Return meat and broth to casserole and add beets, vinegar, tomato mors or paste and sugar; simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
- In a skillet set over moderate heat melt butter, add carrot, pepper, onion and salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened; add to casserole. Add potatoes and shredded cabbage to casserole and simmer 10 minutes. Add kielbasa and simmer 5 minutes more. Stir in kvass to taste, dill and garlic and let stand 10 minutes. Serve soup with slices of roasted goose, dill sprigs and sour cream for garnish.
UKRAINIAN BORSCHT
Heartier than the chilled version, this borscht makes for a satisfying dish, thanks to an addition of short ribs.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes
Yield Makes 3 quarts
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown ribs, 3 to 4 minutes per side; set aside.
- Add 1 onion, and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Return ribs to Dutch oven, and add wine; simmer for 1 minute. Add chicken stock; bring to a simmer, and season with salt and pepper. Cover; transfer to oven, and roast until ribs are tender, 3 hours.
- Shred ribs, discarding fat and bones. Strain stock through a sieve, and skim off fat. (You should have 2 cups.)
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add remaining onion and the garlic; cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add celery root and carrots; cook for 4 minutes. Add reserved stock, the cabbage, beets, water, and tomato paste. Cook for 30 minutes. Add meat; cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more. Stir in lemon juice and vinegar; garnish with parsley.
BORSCH (((AUTHENTIC UKRAINIAN CLASSIC BORSCH)))
Borsch is the most popular soup of Ukrainian cuisine that got its name from the most important ingredient, beets, called in old Slavic, borsch. There are numerous recipes for making borsch, but this recipe is as authentic as they come. My maternal grandmother, Anna Buhal'tsev (Bell) Mersky, came from Smila Gubernyia, which is near Cherkassy and Kyiv in the Ukraine. TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THAT THIS IS AN AUTHENTIC RECIPE BROUGHT TO THE U.S. WITH MY GRANDMOTHER FROM THE UKRAINE! If you wish to e-mail me you can e-mail me at: leonetti00 at aol dot com
Provided by Alan Leonetti
Categories European
Time 3h5m
Yield 10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the diced bacon or panchetta in a Dutch oven or stockpot and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until the fat begins to render, about 3 minutes.
- Add the beef and continue to cook, stirring, until the beef is brown on all sides, about 6 minutes.
- Remove both meats from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Add the onions and carrot to the fat in the Dutch oven or stockpot and stir to coat.
- Cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, oregano, dill seeds and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add the red wine vinegar and stir to deglaze the pot.
- Return both meats to the pot and add the water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, place the beets on a baking sheet and brush with the oil.
- Roast until tender and can be pierced easily with a fork or knife, about 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
- When the beets are cool enough to handle, trim the stem and root ends and remove the skins.
- Coarsely grate or chop and set aside.
- When the meat is tender and falling apart, add the beets, potatoes, cabbage, parsley, tomato paste and celery salt or seeds and simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes.
- Season with additional red wine vinegar, salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar to taste.
- Ladle borsch into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a pinch of fresh dill.
- Also, serve with Russian black bread.
Tips:
- Use fresh, seasonal vegetables for the best flavor.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of meat and vegetables.
- If you don't have time to make the borscht ahead of time, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Serve borscht with a dollop of sour cream and some rye bread.
Conclusion:
Borscht is a delicious and hearty soup that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is also a very versatile dish that can be made with a variety of different ingredients. Whether you are looking for a traditional Ukrainian borscht or a more modern Latvian version, you are sure to find a recipe that you will enjoy. So next time you are looking for a new soup to try, give borscht a try. You won't be disappointed.
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