Borscht

Having lived in Estonia for a year, anything that resembles the good food that I got to eat there is worth trying to make.

INGREDIENTS

*225g thinly sliced potatoes
*140g thinly sliced beetroot
*1L vegetable stock or water
*2 tablespoons butter
*250g chopped onions
*1 teaspoon caraway seed (optional)
*2 teaspoons salt
*1 celery stick, chopped
*1 large carrot, sliced
*250g coarsely chopped red cabbage
*black pepper to taste
*1/4 teaspoon fresh dill
*1 tablespoon cider vinegar
*1 tablespoon honey
*250ml passata
*soured cream, for topping
*chopped tomatoes, for garnish

METHOD

1. Place sliced potatoes and beetroot in a medium saucepan over high heat; cover with stock, and boil until vegetables are tender. Remove potatoes and beetroot with a slotted spoon, and reserve stock.

2. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Stir in onions, caraway seeds and salt; cook until onions become soft and translucent. Then stir in celery, carrots and cabbage. Mix in reserved stock; cook, covered, until all vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Add potatoes and beetroot to the pan. Season with black pepper and dill. Stir in cider vinegar, honey and passata. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer at least 30 minutes. Serve topped with soured cream, extra dill and chopped fresh tomatoes.

VERDICT

YUM!!!! This soup is one of my favourite and despite what might look like quite a lot of work, is in fact quite simple to make. It does take a little time time to make but is well worth the time and effort. We also tried making it with some meat as well, which was equally as nice.

Score: 98/100