In the vibrant tapestry of summer flavors, borscht emerges as a symphony of refreshing and wholesome ingredients. This chilled soup, originating from Eastern Europe, is a delightful fusion of sweet and sour notes, punctuated by the earthy essence of beetroot. As a versatile culinary masterpiece, borscht welcomes variations, each region boasting its unique interpretation. From the classic Ukrainian version, brimming with the vibrant hues of beetroot, cabbage, and sorrel, to the Lithuanian rendition, characterized by its white base and tangy kefir, borscht offers a culinary journey across cultures. Indulge in the simplicity of the traditional Polish recipe, where the sweetness of beetroot meets the cooling embrace of yogurt, or explore the hearty Latvian variation, enriched with the goodness of beef broth and a medley of vegetables. Whichever path you choose, borscht promises a delightful symphony of flavors, transporting you to the heart of Eastern European culinary traditions.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
SUMMER BORSCHT
Borscht originated in Eastern Europe and is an incredibly versatile soup. This variation, served cold, is fantastic in hot weather.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Fill a medium saucepan with water, and bring to a boil. Add beets, and boil until beets are fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Drain beets, reserving cooking water, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Rub off skins.
- Heat olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Coarsely chop 1 1/2 carrots, and add to stockpot. Add leek, salt, and pepper. Coarsely chop half of the dill, and add to stockpot. Cook until carrots are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
- Cut beets into 1-inch chunks, and add to stockpot. Add wine, 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, and chicken stock. Let simmer until broth is flavorful, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the stockpot from heat, and transfer hot soup to a large bowl. Set bowl in ice-water bath to cool; skim off any fat.
- Using the small hole of a box grater, grate remaining 1/2 carrot and cucumber. Serve soup with a dollop of creme fraiche, garnished with grated carrot, grated cucumber, and remaining fresh dill. Give each serving a splash of red-wine vinegar, if desired.
SUMMER BEET BORSCHT (COLD SOUP)
This is my take on Ina Garten's recipe. I love a cold soup in the summer and this is low fat. If you prefer you can use low fat for all sour cream but I think the mixture gives a better taste. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I do, very light and refreshing and, yes, the soup is purply-pink!
Provided by Mary Schrum
Categories Other Soups
Time 2h
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- 1. Preheat oven to 375. Line sheet pan with aluminum foil. Leave skin on beets lightly coat with olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes or longer until tender. After roasting, pull foil around beets to enclose, sit out to cool completely.
- 2. In large bowl whisk sour creams, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Peel cooled beets by rubbing the skins off or using paring knife(hint, use gloves for rubbing skins off to prevent staining of your hands.) Dice beets to 1/2 to 1 inch cubes. Add beets, cucumber, scallion and dill to soup mixture.
- 3. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours, overnight is better. Season with salt again if needed and serve cold with a dollop of sour cream and dill sprig.
CLEAR SUMMER BORSCHT
Borscht, an Eastern European beet soup, carries with it strong associations of dark, ceaseless Russian winters. But this glistening borscht is meant to be served cold, at the height of summer. Light, lemony and infused with garlic, the soup is utterly refreshing, even thirst-quenching. If you enrich it with yogurt, the color will be dark pink. If you don't, it will be a clear, dark red.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, lunch, soups and stews, appetizer, main course
Time 1h15m
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Combine the beets, water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a soup pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add the lemon juice, remaining salt, and sugar and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the garlic.
- Allow to cool, then cover and chill (you can speed this process by transferring the soup to a bowl and placing the bowl in an ice bath). Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove the garlic cloves.
- Place 2 tablespoons yogurt, if desired, into the center of chilled soup bowls. Ladle in the soup. Garnish with diced cucumber and minced dill or chives.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 82, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 19 grams, Fat 0 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 905 milligrams, Sugar 13 grams
POLISH SUMMER BARSHCH (BORSCHT)
A delicious change from the usual cold summer soups. Posted by request from the "Art of Polish Cooking".
Provided by Lorac
Categories Vegetable
Time 40m
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Combine beef broth, beets and beet liquid in a large pot and heat.
- Mix flour and water, add to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Chill, add remaining ingredients except eggs and refrigerate.
- Serve very cold topped with chopped eggs.
SUMMER BORSCHT
Barefoot Contessa recipe. ATTENTION: there is a 4 hour non-active prep time in addition to the listed 10 minutes prep time which is the cool down time for the soup. We don't like dill very much, but I decided to try this recipe anyway. We REALLY didn't like it. It almost reminded us of cold dill pickle soup. However I thought it might be to someone else's liking it certainly SOUNDED good. So I made it public :-)
Provided by Teddys Mommy
Categories Vegetable
Time 50m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Place the beets in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook uncovered until the beets are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Remove the beets to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
- Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and also set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the beet cooking liquid, the chicken stock, sour cream, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and the pepper.
- Peel the cooled beets with a small paring knife or rub the skins off with your hands.
- Cut the beets in small to medium dice.
- Add the beets, cucumber, scallions, and dill to the soup.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Season, to taste, and serve cold with a dollop of sour cream and an extra sprig of fresh dill.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 256.2, Fat 17.5, SaturatedFat 9.9, Cholesterol 46.5, Sodium 222.1, Carbohydrate 21.1, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 17.5, Protein 5.5
Tips:
- Use fresh, seasonal vegetables. This will give your borscht the best flavor.
- Don't overcook the vegetables. They should be tender but still have a little bit of crunch.
- Use a good quality broth. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your borscht.
- Add some sour cream or yogurt to your borscht. This will give it a nice tangy flavor.
- Serve your borscht with some fresh herbs, such as dill or parsley. This will add a pop of color and flavor.
Conclusion:
Summer borscht is a delicious and refreshing soup that is perfect for a hot summer day. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste. Whether you like your borscht sweet, sour, or somewhere in between, there is a recipe in this article that is sure to please you. So next time you are looking for a light and healthy meal, give summer borscht a try. You won't be disappointed!
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