In the heart of Polish cuisine, White Borscht, a traditional Easter soup, holds a special place. This creamy and subtly sour soup, known as Żurek or Biały Barszcz, is a symphony of flavors that awakens the palate with its unique blend of ingredients. Made with a fermented rye flour base, or zakwas, White Borscht is a testament to the intricate culinary heritage of Poland. The distinct sourness of the zakwas is balanced by the addition of vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, and celery, creating a harmonious and flavorful broth. Often served with hard-boiled eggs, slices of sausage, and a sprinkling of fresh herbs, White Borscht is a hearty and comforting dish that embodies the spirit of Polish Easter celebrations. Alongside the classic White Borscht recipe, this article presents enticing variations, including one with the addition of flavorful Polish sausage and another featuring hearty chunks of lamb. For those seeking a vegan alternative, a delectable mushroom-based White Borscht is also included. Each recipe is presented with step-by-step instructions, ensuring that home cooks of all skill levels can recreate this Polish culinary treasure in their own kitchens.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
POLISH WHITE BORSCHT ON PORK RIBS AND FERMENTED WHEAT STARTER
This Polish White Borscht delivers everything you want in a warm Easter soup. It's a velvety, meaty stock laced with root veggies, horseradish, marjoram, and chunks of tender white kiełbasa sausage.
Provided by Polonist
Categories Polish Soups
Time P5DT2h10m
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Grab a large cooking pot, 4-5 quart / litres should be enough. Place just over a pound (around 500 grams) of pork ribs inside.
- Pour in just over 2 quarts (2 litres) of cold water. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to low-medium. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes.
- While that's cooking, peel the vegetables: 2 carrots, 2 parsley roots, a piece of celery root. Chop into chunky pieces.
- Grab a leek, remove the dirty outer leaves.
- Wash all the veggies under the running water and set them aside.
- Once the 30 minutes are up, add chopped vegetables to the pot. Add the spices: 3 all-spice berries, 2 bay leaves, 5 black peppercorns.
- Bring the pot to boil, reduce the heat to low and cook undercover for another hour.
- After that time, peel a garlic clove and smash it with a side of a knife. Add to the pot.
- Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of grated horseradish. This can be from a jar or freshly grated - whatever you have available.
- Cook for another 5 minutes or so. Grab another pot and place a strainer over it. Pour our soup through it. Don't throw the veggies and meat away! Keep them on the side for now.
- Grab a piece of smoked bacon. If it has a tough skin, cut it off. Cut the meat into cubes, roughly quarter of an inch (5-6 mm) in size.
- Heat up 1 teaspoon of canola oil and 1 teaspoon of butter. Add chopped bacon. Fry for 5-7 minutes, until the meat cubes turn lightly golden. Add it to the soup.
- Grab 4 white kiełbasa links, poke them with a toothpick in a few places. Add them to the pot and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
- Add 1⅓ cup (300ml) of sour wheat starter for a milder Barszcz, up to 2 cups (or more; roughly 500ml) for a sharper result. If you're not sure how much to add, pour it over gradually, tasting along the way. There are two ways to do it: • Mix the contents of the jar/bottle, so that the liquid part blends with the floury part, • Or start by adding the liquid only, topping with the muddy floury part later on - spoonful by spoonful, until you reach the desired thickness. That's how I do it.
- Add 2 teaspoons of dried marjoram and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously. Have a taste - does it need some seasoning? If so, add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Pour the sour cream into a cup. Gradually add some hot soup in (around 8 tablespoons in total), spoonful by spoonful, stirring as you go. Pour over this creamy mixture into the soup, mix it in with a spoon.
- Do you want to serve your soup with vegetables and meat? Chop some veggies into pieces. Remove the meat from the bone. Add them to the soup. Cook for another 2-3 minutes on a low heat.
- Peel the boiled eggs, slice them in half.
- To serve, pour the soup over into bowls or soup plates. Distribute the pieces of meat and vegetables evenly. Add a portion of sausage to each plate - whole links or slices, up to you.
- Decorate with halved boiled eggs and fresh marjoram.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 522 calories, Carbohydrate 52 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 148 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 26 grams fat, Fiber 6 grams fiber, Protein 20 grams protein, SaturatedFat 9 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1, Sodium 1021 grams sodium, Sugar 7 grams sugar, TransFat 0 grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 13 grams unsaturated fat
EASTER WHITE BORSCHT
Trying to recreate childhood memory of old Polish dish. Everyone does it differently. This was my first attempt. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs.
Provided by Jeff Popple
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Vegetable Soup Recipes Borscht
Time 1h5m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Bring water, kielbasa, and 2 whole cloves garlic to boil in a large pot; reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove sausage and pour liquid into a separate bowl. Cut sausage into cubes.
- Melt butter over medium heat in the pot used to boil sausage; cook and stir leeks, onion, and minced garlic until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a blender; add about 1/2 cup reserved sausage water and blend until smooth, adding more water as needed.
- Pour vegetable puree and remaining sausage water back into the original pot. Add bay leaves and bring borscht to a simmer over medium heat; remove and discard leaves. Whisk sour cream and flour in a bowl until smooth; gradually whisk into borscht until thickened. Stir dill and vinegar into soup and season with salt and black pepper.
- Divide cubed sausage and chopped eggs into bowls; ladle borscht over sausage and egg.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 732 calories, Carbohydrate 15 g, Cholesterol 248.8 mg, Fat 62.6 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 26.4 g, SaturatedFat 24.9 g, Sodium 1637.6 mg, Sugar 4.6 g
WHITE BORSCHT - POLISH EASTER SOUP - BIALY BARSZCZ
Finally got the 2nd soup from the Polish class added. Chef Tad picked an awesome recipe to share with us. Of course, this is another very authentic and distinct with flavors kind of soup. Most of all, I love the broth. The tartness of it alone just made me want to drink it by itself. Of course, the addition of a homemade Polish...
Provided by Kimberly Biegacki
Categories Other Soups
Time 4h
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- 1. Place pre-cooked ham and kielbasa in a roaster. Add 2 quarts of water, cover and roast for 2 hours at 350 degrees. Reserve the pan juices as this will be the base for your soup broth. Refrigerate and then remove the fat from top afterwards. NOw, add the juices to a large pot and your addtl water to make 8 quarts. *If using an uncooked ham, do not add kielbasa util 1 hour before ham is done cooking.
- 2. Add your peppercorns, garlic and bring to a simmer. In a medium bowl add your 1 cup of water and 1/2 flour, whisk till smooth and then add to your broth.
- 3. Now, add your vineager to the level of taste your desire. Add more if you like it to be a really tart soup. (I loved it with the extra vinegar.) Simmer for awhile till the soup thickens and flavors meld. Probably about 1 hr or a little longer.
- 4. Slice up Kielbasa 1/4 inch thick, cube ham and rye bread into bite sized pieces and the farmers cheese too. Coarsely chop your eggs. (The farmers cheese Chef Tad brought was extremely soft and so yummy too. It was unlike any farmers cheese I have had before. I will ask him this coming Sunday at our next class where he got it.)
- 5. Combine all the chopped ingredients into a large bowl, so that it can be scooped out and placed in serving dishes.
- 6. Now ladle your very hot broth over the top and add your desired amount of horseradish to your own bowl.
- 7. Now, you are ready to eat a most delicious bowl of authentic polish soup. I just love the tartness in the broth and our chef that taught us how to make this soup brought homemade polish smoked kielbasa. It packed so much flavor and was so delicious added into this soup.
WHITE BORSCHT (BARSZCZ BIAłY - POLISH EASTER SOUP)
White borscht or barszcz biały in Polish is an amazing Polish soup made with Polish white sausage, smoked bacon, and sour liquid made from fermented wheat flour. I may sound weird, but I can assure you, this soup is so delicious! It may be unusual to a foreign palate at first, but I can assure you, you will love it more and more with each bite (or spoon). The soup is meaty, smokey, thick, creamy, and delightfully sour. It's traditionally eaten at Easter but is also popular during other parts of the year. It's served with hard-boiled eggs.
Provided by Aleksandra
Categories Main Course
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Cook the white sausage: Bring the broth to a boil, when hot add the raw white sausages and simmer over very low heat for 15-20 minutes. The broth should not cook rapidly, it should just gently simmer.
- Chop the smoked bacon into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes, press the garlic through a garlic press. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes.
- When the sausage is cooked, take it out of the water and cut into slices.
- Add potatoes to the broth and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan. When hot, add the sausage slices and bacon. Cook for a couple of minutes over medium-high heat, until they are browned on all sides. Add the garlic and marjoram and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add some hot broth to the pan then scrape with a spatula all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the content of the pan to the pot with broth.
- Add the sour wheat starter - stir the flour with the liquid and add it to the soup. Make sure to add the starter gradually - trying the soup while you add it, to make sure it's not too sour for you.
- Add the heavy cream and horseradish. Warm up the soup until very warm (I'm trying not to boil it only to preserve the health benefits of the wheat starter).
- Season the soup with salt and pepper. Serve with hard-boiled eggs.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 518 kcal, ServingSize 1 serving
BARSZCZ (CLASSIC POLISH BORSCHT)
Most Slavic countries have their own form of beet soup, a winter staple across Central and Eastern Europe. Barszcz, the Polish variation, is usually served as a clear burgundy broth with bright, wintry flavors. It is sweeter and beefier than Ukrainian or Russian borscht, and much less textural: Most vegetables are strained after imparting their flavor, though the soup may include grated beets or morsels of meat. This recipe is adapted from "From a Polish Country House Kitchen," an anthropological cookbook by Anne Applebaum and Danielle Crittenden (Chronicle Books, 2012). Strain the vegetables entirely and sip the restorative broth directly from a mug, or serve the soup with sour cream and enjoy with pierogi.
Provided by Amelia Nierenberg
Categories dinner, lunch, weeknight, soups and stews, appetizer, side dish
Time 3h
Yield 8 cups (6 to 8 appetizer or side servings)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a large pot, combine the beets, bones, carrots, parsnip, onion, leek, celery, garlic and bay leaves, plus the mushrooms, peppercorns and marjoram, if using. Top with 14 cups water. (There should be enough water to cover all the ingredients.) Bring to a boil over high.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. As it cooks, use a small ladle to periodically skim off and discard any foam, impurities and fat that have risen to the top of the pot.
- Transfer the 3 whole beets to a cutting board to cool. Strain the soup through a colander set over a large bowl. Remove the bones and press the solids to extract all the liquids, then strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean medium saucepan.
- Once they're cool enough to handle, chop the reserved whole beets into small 1/2-inch cubes. Stir the diced beets into the soup and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat soup over medium until warmed, then stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve very hot in small bowls or even large teacups, which you can pick up and drink. If desired, serve with a spoonful of sour cream. Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
WHITE BORSCHT
This white borscht, a nod to the tradition of sour soups in Ukrainian cooking, is simply a perfect meal: rich and satisfying, yet bright and delicate and clean all at once. It's given its distinct tang up front, by soaking a hunk of sourdough bread in the simmering broth, and also at the end, by whisking in a little crème fraîche before serving. At the center is the delicious, subtle, complex broth. The better the kielbasa, the better the broth, obviously, and it's worth using the whole garland for that complex smoky seasoning it imparts. There'll be extra for snacking. The chopped dill keeps it all bright and fresh and lively in the mouth. A year-round classic to have in your repertoire, it's especially beloved in colder months. When weather forecasters announce a dismal spell of sleeting days in a row, you'll think, oh, good! White borscht weather!
Provided by Gabrielle Hamilton
Categories dinner, lunch, sausages, soups and stews, appetizer, main course, side dish
Time 1h30m
Yield 5 quarts
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Cut kielbasa into 4 equal lengths, and cover in a pot with 3 quarts cold water and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then let gently boil for 25 minutes more until swollen and cooked through and beads of oil have formed. Pull sausages from the now smoky and seasoned water, and set aside. Save that water!
- While the kielbasa simmers, split leeks in half lengthwise, then soak and rinse in cold water to thoroughly remove all sand. Slice leeks into 3/8-inch half-moons from whites to dark greens, as far up as is viable.
- Peel potatoes, trim all four sides to stabilize on the cutting board and trim both ends to "box" the potato. Save the scraps. Cut the boxes into large cubes, about 3/4-inch square.
- In a sturdy soup pot, melt 1 stick butter over low heat until foaming. Stir in onion, garlic and a healthy pinch of salt, and let them sweat for a full 5 minutes until translucent.
- Stir in remaining butter, the sliced leeks and another generous pinch of salt, then let sweat slowly over low heat for 8 minutes until moist, bright green and glossy.
- Add potato scraps, the cube of bread and half the kielbasa boiling liquid. Let gently simmer 10 minutes while the potato scrap softens and the bread hunk becomes flabby and swollen. If you need to increase the heat to get a little simmer going, do so.
- Meanwhile, slice kielbasa in half lengthwise. Place two pieces back into the soup pot as is, and then slice the remaining 6 pieces into very thin, 1/8-inch half-moons, and set aside.
- Retrieve the soggy lump of sourdough bread with a slotted spoon, and don't worry if you also get a few bits of leek or onion or whatever is floating in the soup when you pull it out. Also remove about 1 cup of liquid, and set aside.
- Add potato cubes and the rest of the kielbasa liquid to the pot. Add another pinch of salt and half the black pepper. Let it come back to temperature, and then to simmer until potatoes are cooked through, about 25 minutes more.
- Using either a stick blender or a traditional blender, purée the sodden hunk of bread until foamy, using some of the liquid you pulled in Step 8, if needed. Stir this back into the soup pot once the potatoes are cooked through, and add the sliced kielbasa as well.
- Whisk the crème fraîche with 1/2 cup of the hot reserved liquid; stir mixture into the soup. Stir in the chopped dill and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon pepper. Serve very hot.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your soup.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different vegetables. You can use any type of vegetables you like in this soup, so feel free to get creative.
- Be patient. This soup takes some time to make, but it's worth the wait. The longer you simmer it, the more flavorful it will be.
- Serve with your favorite toppings. Sour cream, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh herbs are all great options.
Conclusion:
White borscht is a delicious and hearty soup that is perfect for a special occasion like Easter. It's easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste. So next time you're looking for a new soup recipe, give white borscht a try. You won't be disappointed.
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