Pureed Borscht

I have several really good recipes for borscht: seasoned with cumin and rye bread crumbs; made with cauliflower instead of cabbage; seasoned with orange and mint. It’s one of my favorite soups and actually kind of a miracle because it’s just as good and pleasing when it’s chunky and served hot during the cold winter months and equally wonderful and satisfying when it’s pureed and served cold during the summer.

Try this version next time you have a yen for borscht:

Classic Borscht

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4 medium beets, peeled and shredded

• 3 tomatoes, chopped

• 2 parsnips, peeled and shredded

• 2 carrots, peeled and shredded

• 2 stalks celery, sliced

• 1/2 medium green cabbage, shredded

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 8 cups vegetable stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 3 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced

• 6 tablespoons white vinegar, approximately

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• dairy sour cream or plain Greek style yogurt

• chopped chives or scallion tops for garnish

Heat the vegetable oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the beets, tomatoes, parsnips, carrots, celery, cabbage and parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes. Pour in the stock, add the bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, one hour. Add the potatoes and cook for 45 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and dill and cook for 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or vinegar to taste. Remove the bay leaf. Puree the soup and chill for at least one hour or until cold. Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives.

 Makes 10 servings

Borscht with Cauliflower

Borscht with Cauliflower

Like most everyone I know, I overindulged over the December holidays. So, it’s time for some austerity — caloriewise, healthwise — with the menu.

But I like good food. Tasty food. Filling, satisfying food that looks good enough to please.

This soup has it all. It’s a riff on classic Borscht — cabbage is the foundation of Borscht but I didn’t have any! So I used cauliflower. It’s in the cabbage family after all. Mishpocha maybe.

It was perfect.

Borscht with Cauliflower

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 2 medium-large beets, peeled and shredded

• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped

• 1 parsnip, peeled and shredded

• 2 cups cut up cauliflower

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 6 cups vegetable stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 large Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced

• 3 tablespoons white vinegar, approximately

• 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• dairy sour cream or plain Greek style yogurt, optional

Heat the vegetable oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, beets, tomatoes, parsnip, cauliflower and parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Pour in the stock, add the bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, one hour. Add the potato and cook for 45-60 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Stir in the vinegar and dill and cook for 12-15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or vinegar to taste. Remove the bay leaf. If the soup is cooked using vegetable stock, serve it garnished with a dollop of sour cream if desired. 

Makes 6-8 servings