Clear Summer Borscht Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Place diced potatoes into a large saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the green onions, dill, and buttermilk; bring back to a simmer. Stir in the half-and-half before serving.

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.

Steps:

• Put the broth, beets and potatoes in a large heavy-bottomed pot and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover and stir in the cabbage and red wine vinegar. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (taste for sodium levels in the broth before salting). Simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve warm. Enjoy!

Steps:

• Place beets in a medium saucepan, and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove beets with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid. Let beets cool, about 20 minutes. Strain cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, and refrigerate, covered, until chilled, about 2 hours. Peel beets, and cut into 1/4-inch dice.
• Whisk together stock, sour cream, yogurt, lemon juice, the salt, and 1 1/2 cups cooled beet liquid in a large bowl. Stir in beets, cucumber, and dill. Season with pepper. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours (or up to 1 day).
• Stir soup, then divide among 8 bowls. Spoon 1 tablespoon tzatziki onto each serving, and top each with a dill sprig.

Steps:

• Chill bottle of Borscht.
• Open and pour yourself a refreshing summer drink! ~OR~.
• Cook potatoes in boiling water til just fork tender.
• Drain, and place while hot into soup bowl and pour cold Borscht over, spoon out some of the chopped beets that are in the bottle and add to soup. Some pepper and that's it!
• If you wish, a small dollop of sour cream can be added. You can also prepare the Borscht beforehand by whipping one cup of Borscht liquid with the sour cream and returning this to bottle and shake to blend.