Shared by Sasha Shor
Shared by Sasha Shor
Cold Borscht
Yield: 6 - 8 servingsTime: 1h 15min plus cooling time
Cold Borscht
Yield: 6 - 8 servingsTime: 1h 15min plus cooling timeThis recipe was shared by Sasha Shor. Read more about her family in "The Cold Borscht That Marks the Start of a Soviet Summer."
Ingredients
For the borscht:
- 6-8 medium beets, peeled and quartered
- 10 cups water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of one large lemon
For the mix-ins:
- 3 Persian or Kirby cucumbers, trimmed and chopped into ½” cubes
- Hard boiled eggs, sliced lengthwise (1 egg per serving)
- 1 small bunch of fresh dill, roughly chopped, stems discarded
- 3-4 scallions, sliced thinly, green and white parts
- 6 large radishes, trimmed and chopped into ½” cubes
- Lemon wedges (served on the side)
- Sour cream
Preparation
Step 1
Place the beets and water in a large stock pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until beets are easily pierced with a fork.
Step 2
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, remove the beets, reserving the beet stock, and grate on the large side of a box grater. Return the grated beets to the beet stock.
Step 3
Season with sugar, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix well and taste, adjusting for seasoning.
Step 4
Move to the fridge to chill for a minimum of 8 hours, and ideally overnight.
Step 5
To serve: ladle chilled soup into bowls (50% beet stock, 50% grated beets). Top each bowl with a spoonful of cucumbers, scallions, radishes, 2 hard boiled egg halves and a healthy pinch of chopped fresh dill. Add a dollop of sour cream and a final squeeze of lemon.
