Vegetarian Borscht

Sharon123's Note:

I have been looking for a wonderful borscht recipe and this one looks delightful! From Cooking Live.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ lb white mushroom , trimmed,wiped clean,and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 large onion , cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 10 small beets or 7 -8 medium beets , with greens,peeled,quartered,and cut across into 1/4 inch slices
• 2 medium carrots , peeled and cut across into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1 medium parsnip , peeled and cut across into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1 small celery root or ½ large celery root , peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 3/4 pound)
• 1 ½ lbs mashing potatoes , peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• ½ small green cabbage , cored and shredded (about 3/4 pound)
• 3 cloves garlic , smashed,peeled,and very finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bunch dill , coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper , to taste
• coarsely chopped dill
• sour cream

Directions:

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain, reserving the liquid, and squeeze out the excess liquid.
3. Strain all the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve.
4. Reserve the liquid (there should be 1 cup) and the mushrooms separately.
5. In a tall narrow stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat.
6. Stir in the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.
7. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
8. Add the beets, carrots, parsnip, celery root, 8 cups water, and the mushroom soaking liquid.
9. bring to a boil.
10. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
11. Stir in the potatoes, cabbage, garlic, and, if using, the beet greens.
12. Dissolve the tomato paste in 1/2 cup of the liquid and stir back into soup.
13. Return to a boil.
14. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
15. Stir in the reconstituted mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
16. Remove from the heat.
17. Stir in the dill, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.
18. Pass bowls of chopped dill and sour cream at the table and enjoy!

Reviews

[echo echo]

This was a wonderful, wonderful borscht! I made it with a combination of red and golden beets. The combination of the root vegetables with the sweet and sour tomato broth seasoned with dill and garlic could not have been more delightful. I must admit I omitted the dried porcini mushrooms; also, I wasn't sure how much dill constituted a bunch, so I did that to my own taste. Since then I've been recommending this one, so hopefully it will be getting all the recognition it deserves.

[Aquadoc_68]

Yum!!!! Though I like chicken in mine, the vegie way was very good. I used two big beets (about the size of a small honeydew each) Never too buch beet JMHO. it was also very close to the same way my Oksanka makes it. This christmas I will get to taste real Borsch as I am told, for I will be in Lutsk having Babuska Grabovets' Borsch. Then I guess I will be able to judge.