KITCHEN  CULTURES
WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE EATING?
  • Home
  • About us
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Hors d'oeuvres & Snacks
    • Soups & Salads
    • Meat
    • Poultry
    • Pastas & Casseroles
    • Vegetarian Mains
    • Seafood
    • Sides
    • Easy Desserts
    • Beverages
  • Contact Us/Comments

Loaded Vegetarian Borscht with Anise Hyssop

Serves 4 to 6

Most people either hate or love beets but it all depends on how they're prepared. I had an excess of beets and had already made a quick beet salad that first made me fall for beets, so I decided to make the infamous Russian/Ukrainian soup for the first time. I used organic home grown beets and carrots for this thick soup along with wonderful fresh herbs and other vegetables and the result was a very hearty, filling, healthy meal. I say meal because nothing else is needed with this spicy, aromatic version of borscht, but if you wish, serve it with some toasted bread.

Back
What you need:

2 tbsps olive oil
4 beets, shredded
3 medium carrots shredded
1 large red onion/2 small onions sliced thin
5 leaves of anise hyssop
Some fresh basil
4 thyme sprigs (only the leaves though- remove from sprigs)
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
3 cups cabbage shredded/sliced
2 large potatoes diced
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste, and then extra for a kick!
1 ½ tsp red chilli pepper flakes
About 5 cups vegetable or beef broth heated (I used a mix of the 2)
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tsp all spice
Some sour cream, spring onions, and lemon

How to:

  1. Heat the olive oil and fry the ginger, garlic, shredded beets, shredded carrots, and sliced onions for about 15 minutes, stirring often 
  2. When the vegetables start to soften, add the fresh herbs and the shredded cabbage 
  3. Mix, and add in the spices, frying for another 10 minutes
  4. Add in hot broth along with the diced potatoes, keep the temperature at medium and cover the pot 
  5. Simmer for about 15 or 20 minutes (till the potatoes are tender) 
  6. Take out some of the borscht and liquefy in your blender (try not to blend any potatoes but if a few get in there, no big deal- yum!)
  7. Place the liquid back in the borscht and mix well, simmer for another couple of minutes, tasting for salt and pepper (if you find the beets sweet as I did, adjust the salt) 
  8. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, some chopped spring onions for a crunchy texture, and definitely with some lemon! Delicious!

ENJOY!

"Cooking is like love; it should be entered into with abandon, or not at all"- Harriet Van Horne

Tweets by @kitchencultures

Connect With Us!

message kitchen cultures
leave a comment on kitchen cultures