Aromatic red borscht with roasted beets and cranberries - photo 1
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Aromatic red borscht with roasted beets and cranberries

Pikantne Soups Christmas Dishes European cuisine 150 min Medium 37 wyświetleń ~40.99 PLN - (0)
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Description

This is not an ordinary borscht. It is the essence of holiday warmth, captured in a deep, ruby color. The secret to its extraordinary flavor is roasting the beets, which brings out their natural sweetness and earthy aroma, creating a base of unparalleled depth. The addition of fresh cranberries breaks this sweetness with a refreshing, slightly tart note, while a bouquet of spices – anise, cinnamon, and smoked plum – envelops the senses and evokes the most beautiful winter memories. The borscht is clear, intense, and incredibly elegant. Served in small cups with dumplings or in a deep plate with a dollop of thick cream, it is the perfect start to a Christmas Eve dinner or an exquisite element of any festive lunch. Its preparation is a celebration of flavor that rewards every minute spent.

Ingredients (24)

Servings:
6
  • Beets 1500 g
  • Carrot 2.5 szt.
  • Parsley root 1 szt.
  • Celeriac 150 g
  • Leek (white part) 0.8 szt.
  • Onion 2 szt.
  • Garlic 4 ząbki
  • Fresh cranberry 150 g
  • Apple 1 szt.
  • Dried mushrooms (boletes or porcini) 30 g
  • Rapeseed oil 45 g
  • Beet kvass 500 ml
  • Water 3000 ml
  • Brown sugar 30 g
  • Apple cider vinegar 30 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Bay leaf 13.3 szt.
  • Allspice 6 g
  • Star anise 0.4 szt.
  • Cinnamon stick 2.5 szt.
  • Black peppercorns 10 g
  • Dried marjoram 2.5 łyżeczki
  • Salt 15 g
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Smoked plums 4 szt.
  • Fresh dill 1 pęczek
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~40.99 PLN (6.83 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Roasting beets

1

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Thoroughly scrub the beets under running water, but do not peel them or cut off the ends - this will prevent the loss of juice and color. Dry them with a paper towel.

Ingredients: Beets
It is best to use a vegetable brush to remove any dirt. Leaving the ends on is key, they act like natural 'stoppers'.
2

Place each beet on a separate piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle lightly with rapeseed oil (about 1 tablespoon for all) and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Wrap each beet tightly in foil, creating neat packets.

Ingredients: Beets, Rapeseed oil, Salt
Tightly wrapping in foil will ensure that the beets roast in their own juices, which will maximize their flavor. Use sufficiently large sheets of foil.
3

Place the wrapped beets on a baking sheet and put them in the preheated oven. Bake for 60-90 minutes. The baking time depends on the size of the beets. To check if they are done, carefully peel back the foil and insert a fork or skewer into the beet - it should go in smoothly, with no resistance.

Ingredients: Beets
After an hour, check the largest beet. If it is still hard, continue baking, checking every 15 minutes. Be careful of the hot steam when opening the foil!
4

Remove the beets from the oven and leave them in the foil to cool slightly for about 15-20 minutes, until they can be safely handled. Then, using disposable gloves (to avoid staining your hands), peel off the skin - it should come off very easily after roasting. Set aside two beets, and grate the rest on a coarse grater.

Ingredients: Beets
The skin comes off best when the beets are still warm. You can simply slide it off with your fingers. The two reserved beets will be used to 'acidify' and enhance the color at the very end.

Preparation of vegetable broth

5

While the beets are roasting, prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrot, parsley root, and celery, and cut them into large cubes (about 2-3 cm). Cut the leek lengthwise and rinse it thoroughly to remove any sand, then slice it into thick rounds. Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Peel the garlic and crush it with the flat side of a knife.

Ingredients: Carrot, Parsley root, Celeriac, Leek (white part), Onion, Garlic
Use a large cutting board and a sharp chef's knife. Even cutting is not crucial here, as the vegetables will be drained anyway, but it will help with even cooking.
6

Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with about 200 ml of boiling water. Set aside for at least 20 minutes to soften and release their aroma. Do not discard the soaking water - it is a valuable essence of flavor!

Ingredients: Dried mushrooms (boletes or porcini), Water
If the mushrooms were dirty, after soaking, gently remove them and carefully pour the water into the pot, leaving any sediment at the bottom of the bowl.
7

In a large pot (with a capacity of at least 5 liters), heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes, until it becomes translucent and slightly golden. Add the crushed garlic and sauté for another minute, until it releases its aroma.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Onion, Garlic
Use a heavy-bottomed pot that distributes heat evenly and prevents burning. Do not let the garlic brown, as it will become bitter.
8

Add the chopped carrot, parsley, celery, and leek to the pot with the onion. Sauté everything together for another 5 minutes, stirring. Then add the soaked mushrooms along with the water they soaked in, bay leaves, allspice, peppercorns, star anise, and a cinnamon stick. Optionally, add smoked plums now. Pour everything with 3 liters of cold water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Ingredients: Carrot, Parsley root, Celeriac, Leek (white part), Dried mushrooms (boletes or porcini), Bay leaf, Allspice, Black peppercorns, Star anise, Cinnamon stick, Smoked plums, Water
Cooking the broth over low heat (known as 'popping' or 'blinking') is key to making it clear and full of flavor. Avoid a vigorous boil.

Combining flavors and cooking borscht

9

Wash the apple, cut it into quarters, and remove the core (you don't need to peel it). Add the grated roasted beets, apple quarters, and fresh cranberries to the boiling broth.

Ingredients: Beets, Apple, Fresh cranberry
Sour apple and cranberry not only add flavor, but their acidity helps maintain the beautiful red color of the borscht. Do not stir too vigorously after adding the beets.
10

Increase the heat slightly so that the borscht starts to gently 'wink' again, but DO NOT BRING TO A BOIL. From this point, cook it on the lowest possible heat, covered, for about 20-25 minutes. Boiling it vigorously will cause the borscht to lose its beautiful ruby color and become dull.

This is the most important rule for cooking borscht! If you see it starting to boil, immediately remove it from the heat for a moment. It should be very hot, but not boiling.
11

Remove the pot from the heat. Prepare another large, clean pot. Place a fine sieve or colander lined with double-layered cheesecloth over it. Slowly, in batches, pour the borscht through the sieve to separate the liquid from the vegetables and spices. Do not squeeze the vegetables too hard to keep the borscht clear.

Use a ladle to pour the soup, it's safer than lifting the whole hot pot. The drained vegetables can be used as a base for a vegetarian pâté.

Seasoning and finishing

12

Pour the beet kvass into the clear, hot borscht. Stir gently. Grate the two previously set aside roasted beets on a fine grater, add a ladle of hot borscht and apple cider vinegar, mix, and then strain this mixture into the pot with the borscht through a sieve, pressing the juice from the beets firmly. This will enhance the color and flavor.

Ingredients: Beet kvass, Beets, Apple cider vinegar
Never add sourdough and vinegar to boiling soup and do not cook after adding them, as they will lose their properties and flavor. Adding fresh juice from roasted beets is a trick to 'revive' the color.
13

Now it's time for the final seasoning. Add salt and sugar. Start with one teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon of sugar. Mix and taste. Balance the flavors by adding more salt (for savoriness), sugar (to cut the acidity), or vinegar/sourdough (for more acidity) until you achieve your perfect taste. Finally, add marjoram, crushing it in your hands to release the aroma.

Ingredients: Salt, Brown sugar, Dried marjoram
Seasoning is a process. Add spices in small batches and taste after each addition. The perfect borscht should be harmonious: sweet, sour, and salty in perfect balance.
14

Cover the pot and let the borscht sit for at least 30 minutes, preferably for a few hours (or overnight in the fridge). The flavors need to meld, and the soup will develop a full aroma. Serve hot.

Borscht, like many soups, is best the next day. Heat it slowly, without bringing it to a boil, to preserve its beautiful color.

Fun Fact

💡

The word 'borscht' comes from a plant called common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), whose fermented leaves and stems were the basis of sour soup in ancient Slavic cuisine. Over time, beets became the main ingredient, but the name remained.

Best for

Kolacja wigilijna Elegancki obiad Rozgrzewająca zupa na zimowe wieczory Uroczystość rodzinna

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the borscht very hot. Traditionally, it is served in soup bowls or cups with mushroom or cabbage dumplings. In a dinner version, it can be served in a deep plate with the addition of boiled potatoes, beans, or with a dollop of thick sour cream (or its vegan equivalent). Optionally, sprinkle with chopped fresh dill.

🥡 Storage

Borscht can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days. With each passing day, its flavor becomes deeper. It can also be frozen. After thawing, heat it slowly, without bringing it to a boil.

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