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Ukrainian Borscht
From Victoria Roots and Gaëlle Smith of Humanity and Inclusion, UK

Ukrainian Borscht (a traditional beet soup made with beef, chicken or pork and cabbage, potatoes, carrots, garlic and dill)

Emergency Rehabilitation Specialist for Humanity & Inclusion, Gaëlle Smith, described this recipe as an ‘everyday must’ in Ukraine, having eaten it with colleagues in hospitals following her work alongside conflict injured patients. Ingredients can vary depending on region and what is available.

Ingredients
  • Meat or bone broth – 6 cups
  • 2 large potatoes
  • Cabbage – 2 ½ cups
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 3 oz tomato paste
  • 1 ½ large red beets, peeled and cut into matchsticks or small chunks
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup dill (finely chopped)
  • Sour Cream for serving
  • ½ tbsp white vinegar
  • Salt, pepper, sugar to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Rye or sourdough bread for serving

     

Preparation Time

20-30 minutes

Cooking Time

1 hour

Servings: 4
Instructions
  1. Add broth to a large pot and bring to boil with bay leaf. Remove meat from bones if using and discard bones, return meat to pot.
  2. Wash peel and cut vegetables (bulk of soup) – start with cabbage because it takes longest to cook
  3. Once broth is boiling, add cabbage, cover, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes (can chop other vegetables during this window)
  4. Saute onion and carrots in oil (5 mins)
  5. Add beats and cook for another 5 mins, add more oil if needed
  6. Add sauted veg to the broth pot with potatoes, tomato paste and salt – bring to boil then cover & simmer on low for 20 mins.
  7. Off the heat, add vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, pepper, stir and sit for 10 minutes.
  8. Add dill and seasonings to taste
  9. Serve hot with sour cream and bread
Notes

Can substitute beef for chicken or pork, or make it vegetarian with vegetable stock. Many Ukrainians eat borscht while biting on a clove of garlic in between the spoonfuls and some accompany it with slices of meat.

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