VEGETARIAN

Spicy Vegetarian Borscht

Soups | European cuisine

⏳ Time

1 hour 30 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Spicy Vegetarian Borscht

Ingredients

Yellow Beets - 6 pieces
Water - 8 fl oz
Balsamic Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
Carrot - 1 piece
Salad Potatoes - 4 pieces
Onion - 1 head
Celery salt - 1 piece
Bouquet Garni - 1 bunch
Ground Cinnamon - 1 teaspoon
Red Wine Vinegar - 1 teaspoon
White Cabbage - 3.5 oz
Ground clove - 3 pieces
Green peppercorns - 5 pieces
Olive Oil - 1 fl oz
Garlic - 2 cloves
Ground Black Pepper - to taste
Canned Tomatoes (Pelati) - 1 can

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Peel one raw beet and cut it into neat cubes, then place it in a bowl (preferably glass), pour in 240 ml of water and add the balsamic vinegar. Let the beets marinate in the refrigerator for at least one night, preferably for a couple of days.

Step 2

Prepare the vegetable broth. For this, roughly chop one medium carrot, one stalk of celery, and one onion, cover with water, add the bouquet garni and black peppercorns, and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour over medium heat. Lightly salt. The broth can also be prepared in advance, but it is better if it is fresh. Strain the broth before use.

Step 3

Peel the beets from the skin and cut them into neat cubes. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. In a mortar, crush the cloves and mix them with the cinnamon. Add the beets along with the marinated beets to the skillet. Sauté lightly, then add the spices and pour in about half of the marinade (it should have a rich burgundy color). Cover with a lid and let it simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Stir the beets occasionally; there is no need to wait for the liquid to evaporate, so if necessary, add 1 tablespoon of marinade to the beets. Cook the beets until tender.

Step 4

Meanwhile, in a separate deep skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the finely chopped garlic. Then add the potatoes, cut into cubes similar to the beets. Sauté lightly, then add about 1 ladle of broth and the wine vinegar. Stirring constantly, simmer the potatoes for about 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes along with their juice. Continue cooking the vegetables as you would for risotto: constantly monitoring the amount of liquid, not allowing it to be fully absorbed, but also not adding too much, maintain the simmering process until the vegetables reach an al dente state. At this point, add the finely shredded cabbage, add more broth, and wait for the vegetables to be fully cooked. It is best if the broth added during the simmering process is hot.

Step 5

In a large pot, combine the cooked vegetables with the beets and all the vegetable juices that formed during the simmering, and gently mix. Add about 2/3 of the volume of vegetable broth to the vegetables as well as the remaining marinade. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Step 6

The soup should have a thick consistency, so it's best to pour in the broth and marinade carefully, constantly stirring the vegetables and allowing the broth to mix with the vegetable sauce. After this operation, let the soup simmer over medium heat for another 7-10 minutes, then let it steep. Ideally, let it sit overnight to fully develop the flavors of the spices.