Sophia’s Borscht
– 4-5 beets with leaves ( if there are no leaves you can use thinly sliced cabbage instead)
– 1 good size onion (any kind) or 3 small shallots
– 3-4 cloves garlic
– 2 medium size potatoes
– 1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley., cilantro, could add chives) – one carton of chicken stock
– 1 tea spoon of lemon juice – cosher or sea salt, black pepper to taste
– 1 tea spoon of concentrated tomato paste(optional)
1. cut onion or shallots in small pieces, cook in a large saucepan on medium heat with one table spoon of olive oil, add some salt and pepper, add 1-3 chopped cloves of garlic, cook until just golden.
2. add water or chicken stock, wash, peel and cut beets in half. Put the leaves aside. Add beets to soup, cover and let cook on medium heat until beets are almost tender, make sure the soup is not too thick.
3. add salt if needed, add potatoes cut in small cubes, cover cook untilpotatoes are tender.
4. wash and thinly cut beet leaves, sprinkle them with lemon juice, add to soup, cook 4-5 more minutes, add tomato paste if you want remove from heat, add 1-2 fresh crashed garlic and thinly cut fresh herbs, let rest a little.
5. remove beets from the soup, rince with cold water and grate 2-3 pieces and put back in the soup to enhance color serve hot or cold with a spoon of sour cream in each bowl, serve with rye,whole weat or multigrain bread (toasted).
Na zdorovie!
