Borscht with beans
Description
So, for borscht you'll need meat, vegetables, beans, and tomato paste or fresh tomatoes. You can also use tomato juice (about 1 cup); I prefer to add homemade tomato paste. During tomato season, I always make tomato paste, then portion it into ice cube trays and freeze it. I store it in the freezer—it's very convenient, and in this form it doesn't get moldy like it might in an open jar. Now, about the beans: for borscht, it's best to use a type that cooks quickly. Of course, they'll lose their shape, but the soup will turn out "velvety" thanks to the mashed beans. Why did I cook the beans beforehand for this recipe? Because preparing beans is a lengthy process. First, sort and rinse the beans, then cover them with cold water and let them soak for about an hour. Remove any beans that float to the surface, as they're hollow. After an hour, drain and replace the water with fresh. Wait another hour, change the water again, and then start cooking the beans until fully tender. Let the beans cool completely before draining the liquid. Serve the soup hot.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the necessary ingredients. I have pre-cooked beans. You can use canned ones. Let's get started!
- 2
Step 2
Place half a chicken in a large pot (I used a 5-liter one), cover with clean cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 40-45 minutes; if it's a home-raised chicken, cook for at least 1-1.5 hours.
- 3
Step 3
Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables for the borscht. Cut the beet and carrot into julienne strips, and slice the onion into half-rings.
- 4
Step 4
Sauté the beet on vegetable oil until half-cooked.
- 5
Step 5
Add the carrots and onions, and fry the vegetables until cooked.
- 6
Step 6
Add the tomato paste, mix, simmer for a couple of minutes, then remove from heat.
- 7
Step 7
The borscht dressing is ready.
- 8
Step 8
Peel and slice the potatoes.
- 9
Step 9
Shred the cabbage thinly.
- 10
Step 10
Remove the chicken from the broth, separate the meat from the bones, chop the meat and return it to the broth.
- 11
Step 11
Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, then add the cabbage and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
- 12
Step 12
Add the borscht mix, simmer for a couple of minutes. The borscht is ready! Let it steep for a while, then serve in large bowls with sour cream, fresh bread, and herbs!
- 13
Step 13
The soup is ready. Serve hot.