BRING ON THE BORSCHT

Vegetarian Russian Borscht

Legend has it that the first ever borscht was cooked during the two-month siege of Cossacks fortress, occupied by the Turkish army. In order to feed the hundreds of people, Cossacks collected all the edible vegetables available and added it to a broth. Little did they know that not only will this historical dish allow millions to endure Siberian winters but also be a highlighted and well regarded cultural dish.

Other than this, the history of borscht is hard to trace. Most historians agree that its origins are in Ukraine, for it has the most variety in this country, with each location having a particular recipe pertinent to the area. These versions range from Polish to Russian to Lithuanian. No matter where it is from, it is certain that with even the slightest mention of the dish, a whimsical spark will roll over your eyes, as if entering a dreamy state, with a soft salivation forming around your lips.

The term borscht derives from the Slavic "borschevik", meaning "hogweed". Hogweed, which is predominantly a Western plant, still grows in some parts of Ukraine. This plant was most likely used in the original version of the classic dish. Since from what seems to be the beginning of time, borscht has continuously evolved, and like fine wine, the dish only gets better with each passing minute!

Recipe:

Time: 45min - 1 hour

Yield: 5-6

Ingredients:

1 large beet (peeled & grated)

1 medium carrot (peeled & grated)

1 medium onion (peeled & grated)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1 tablespoon of vinegar

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 bay leaf

salt and freshly ground pepper

6 cups of either water or vegetable stock

1 medium potato (peeled & cubed)

1/2 a white cabbage head

fresh herbs (garnish)

sour cream (to serve-optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large pan over stove and cook the pre-chopped onions and garlic over a low heat for around 3 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally.

2. Add the pre-hopped beets, carrots, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and one cup of either water or vegetable stock.

3. Bring this to boil and reduce the heat. Partially cover the pan and let ingredients simmer for 10-15 minutes.

4. Add the rest of the stock and potato. Once this has boiled, add the cabbage.

5. Cook this for another 15 minutes until all vegetables are tender.

6. Adjust the seasonings and remove the bay leaf.

7. Ladle the borscht into bowls and serve with fresh hers and sour cream. Slices of rustic bread are perfect sides as well.

8. Enjoy!

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