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
- Preheat over to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Wrap beets in foil and bake until tender , about 1 hour. Cool slightly, peel, then dice.
- 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.
- In small bowl, combine sour cream and dill.
- 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
