Borscht Russian Soup Recipe

Ingredients :

Serves 4-6

• 900g / 2lb uncooked beetroot (beets), peeled

• 2 carrots, peeled

• 2 celery sticks

• 50g / 2oz / ¼ cup butter

• 2 onions, sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 large parsley sprig

• 2 cloves

• 4 whole peppercorns

• 1.2 liters / 2 pints / 5 cups chicken stock

• 150ml / ¼ pint / ²/₃ cup liquid from pickled beetroot (beets)

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• natural (plain) yogurt, to serve

• dill sprigs, to garnish (optional)

Method :

1. Use a sharp knife to cut the uncooked beetroot, carrots and celery into fairly thick strips.

2. Melt the butter in a large heavy pan. Add the sliced onions and cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes, until transparent, stirring occasionally. Add the prepared strips of beetroot, carrot and celery and continue to cook over a low heat for a further 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the vegetables do not stick or burn.

3. Add the garlic and chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.

4. Place the bay leaf, parsley, cloves and peppercorns in a piece of muslin and tie with string.

5. Add the muslin bag to the pan with the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1¼ hours, or until the vegetables are very tender. Discard the bag. Stir in the liquid from the pickled beetroot and season. Bring to the boil. Ladle into bowls and serve with natural yogurt garnished with dill sprigs, if liked.

Nutritional Facts :

Per portion :

Energy  140kcals/589kJ

Protein   3.8g

Fat, total   6g

   saturated fat   3.7g

Carbohydrate   19.2g

   of which sugars   17g

Fiber   4.8g