February 17 is National Cabbage Day. Cabbage is a great source of vitamin C, has hardly any calories, and is great cooked or raw. It’s also a great late season crop for those looking to eat a seasonal diet. Root vegetables like beets, carrots, and parsnips also over-winter well, so my thoughts turned to borscht. I once again turned to Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds 300 Sensational Soups. This is a wonderful tasting soup and is very pretty to boot.

Borscht

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 lb. beets, trimmed
• 3 slices bacon, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 parsnips, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock (I used vegetable stock)
• 3 cups shredded Savoy cabbage
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (I used Balsamic)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey (I used sugar)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Wrap beets in foil and bake until tender , about 1 hour. Cool slightly, peel, then dice.
3. In a large, heavy pot, saute bacon over medium heat until it starts to brown. Add carrots, parsnips, onion, and garlic; saute until softened. Add stock, cabbage, and beets; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar and honey; add salt and pepper to taste.
4. In small bowl, combine sour cream and dill.
5. Ladle soup into heated bowls and top each with a dollop of dilled sour cream. Can also be served cold: refrigerate for 3 hours and serve in chilled bowls.

You can make this without the bacon and sour cream, and it’s still deliscious.

Enjoy!

Debra