Borscht and Broken Computers

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted in a while. Well, my computer went all ka-putt and I`m waiting for it to get better. It just needs a little time.

I`m posting this at work during a free period hoping against hope that my computer is better tomorrow or the next day at the latest. The recipes I made last night turned out really well so here goes!

I had a lot of beets left in my fridge from that farmer's market I went to three weeks ago. Beets are great because they don`t go bad very quickly. Unfortunately recipes in my repertoire that use beets include grating them over salads and roasting them with potatoes, onions and garlic. Not very inspired.

The type of beets I've got are sugar beets so they're a very pretty yellow-gold colour and they have an AMAZING flavour (if you`re into that kind of thing).

Turns out Russian Borscht is a really basic soup and all I needed to buy was cabbage and a can of tomatoes. Turns out my repertoire of cabbage recipes is even smaller than that of beets and the broscht only used a quarter of this bad mamma-jamma... a little research and we'll have more cabbage recipes to follow.

Ironically, or coincidentally, or fortuitously? I jumped in a cab with a very friendly driver who was passionate about health, swimming, and cabbage! He suggested boiling it and then pairing it with sauteed onions and apples... I might try it, we'll see.

Anyway back to the Borscht.

Saute until the cabbage is soft
Two onions
1/4 green cabbage
4 or 5 medium potatoes peeled, chopped and washed (I peeled the potatoes this time but I probably won`t the next time I make this soup cause the peels add texture and I like them!)

Add
1 can diced tomatoes
5-6 beets peeled, washed and chopped (I chopped mine the same size as the potatoes but it turns out beets cook more slowly than potatoes - it's that whole "more starch" thing again - so next time I make this I'm going to cut them smaller)
8 cups broth

After the farmer's market, I had quite a few carrots left and since I trim and wash my celery after I buy it I had enough veg to make a pretty delicious broth.

Start all broth (meat or veg) with a mirepoix, which is just a fancy French word for the holy trinity of soups, Onions, Carrots, Celery. Saute a good amount of these (I make sure they cover the bottom of my large pot) in oil until they start to smell delicious. Cover in a quart of water and add whatever vegetable trimmings you've got in your fridge (just make sure they're clean, no one likes a gritty stock). Toss in 6-10 whole pepper corns and some parsley, if you have it. If you've got tomatoes put those in, or greens that need using etc. Really stock is your oyster, so make pearls... or something.

Simmer for 1 hour and then add 1/4 cup of soya sauce. This is my favourite thing to salt-ify soups and sauces with. It gives them a good rich colour and just the right amount of salt to bring out the flavours. Try adding it to gravy next time you make it and you will be amazed!!

For Christmas last year my oldest friend bought me a container with 6 flavoured salts in it. They were originally intended for popcorn but I have been gleefully tossing them into recipes left, right and center (what does that mean?!!) The dill salt tasted sublime in my borscht. Sorry Russians but I couldn't resist putting a little Dukhobor in your beety-borscht.

For everyone who didn't grow up eating creamy, dilly borscht from The Tree House, I`m sorry. Duhkobor Borscht is as different from Russian as Manhattan Clam Chowder is from Boston! Just trust me on this one.

So I made the stock last week and then used it in my borscht this week. I finished the soup before yoga and had a delicious and nutritiously comforting meal waiting for me when I returned.

I garnished the finished product with a dollop of plain yogurt and some fresh parsley.

Pretty and hearty.