Hot Borscht (Beef)
The borscht I remember eating on a cold night at Gorky’s was vegetarian, and I include that as a variation. The one below is fortified with deeply browned and tender beef. This recipe draws from many sources, including Darra Goldstein’s “Beyond the North Wind” cookbook.
Ingredients
- Broth
- 1-2 lbs beef optional, but if you want it, use brisket, chuck, shank, or stew meat
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion peeled and halved
- 1 carrot cut into chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp peppercorns
- water
Soup
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 quart chicken stock water, and/or kvass
- 3 beets peeled and grated
- 1 carrot peeled and grated
- 1/2 cabbage grated or chopped fine
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or beet kvass
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp sugar
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Instructions
Broth
- Cut beef into 2-3-inch cubes. In a deep pot, heat oil in a large skillet. Sear the beef to brown on all sides. Add water to cover and other ingredients. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer 2 hours. Remove the bay, carrot, and onion. Remove the meat and set aside.
- (Instant Pot variation: After searing the beef, you can add ingredients to the Instant Pot and cook for 45 minutes.)
Soup
- In a soup pot, add heated oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until golden. Add liquid, then add beets, carrot, cabbage, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add vinegar or kvass, lemon juice, and sugar. Taste frequently to adjust.
- To serve, place a little meat in each bowl, add soup, and top with dill.
- Vegan version: You can leave the meat and chicken stock out, using mushroom broth instead. Or: add 1 cup soaked and chopped dried mushrooms to the broth.
