This recipe makes enough for a crowd but also freezes extremely well and is a treat to pull out of the freezer and heat up after a long day’s work. It is particularly satisfying to devour on a snowy or rainy night.
In English, the word “borscht” is most often associated with the soup’s variant of Ukrainian origin, made with red beetroots as one of the main ingredients, which give the dish its distinctive red color. The same name, however, is also used for a wide selection of sour-tasting soups without beetroots, such as sorrel-based green borscht, rye-based white borscht, and cabbage borscht.
Ingredients
- 900g/2lb large raw beetroot
- 225g/8oz onion diced
- 225g/8oz leeks sliced
- 2 celery sticks chopped
- 50g/2oz butter
- 600ml/1pt chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 150ml/5fl oz soured cream salt and freshly ground
- black pepper
How To Make Borscht Soup
1- Boil the beetroot whole in salted water for 15 minutes.
2- Drain and refresh in cold water. Peel and cut into 2.5cm/1in chunks.
3- In a frying pan, gently sweat the onion, leek and celery in the butter until softened.
4- Add the beetroot, stock and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, skim the surface, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
5- Discard the bay leaf, and purée the soup in a blender or food processor. Return to a clean pan, season and bring back to the simmer.
6- Remove from the heat, stir in the sour cream and serve.
