Borscht with cold beet soup (Botvinya)
Description
The recipe won't take much time. A light, tasty, vitamin-rich summer soup made with young beets and their greens is a genuine Russian dish. Nowadays, few people cook it, and that's a pity! Young beet leaves contain many beneficial nutrients. There's nothing complicated about preparing this soup—it's easy enough even for a beginner cook. Let's cook and enjoy the result. The soup is ready to serve.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Cut off the greens, peel and wash the beet.
- 2
Step 2
Cut the beet into small cubes and place in a heated pan with 2 tablespoons of oil. Fry over low heat for about 10-15 minutes.
- 3
Step 3
Wash the beet greens and separate the stems from the leaves.
- 4
Step 4
Cut the stems into small pieces, 2-3 cm each.
- 5
Step 5
Add the stems to the beets in the pan. Stir and sauté for another 3-4 minutes.
- 6
Step 6
Add about 2/3 cup of water.
- 7
Step 7
And vinegar or lemon juice. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for about 25-30 minutes.
- 8
Step 8
Peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes or strips, place them in a pot, and add about 2 liters of water. Put them on to boil.
- 9
Step 9
We will slice the peeled onion into small strips.
- 10
Step 10
Grate the peeled carrots on a coarse grater.
- 11
Step 11
Place the onion and carrots on another frying pan with vegetable oil and sauté.
- 12
Step 12
Sauté the onion and carrots over low heat until the onion is soft, not browned, then add to the pot with the potatoes. Next, add the stewed beet with its stems, and season with salt. Cook for about 10 minutes.
- 13
Step 13
Cut the beet leaves either into thin strips, like cabbage, or into small pieces.
- 14
Step 14
Add the leaves to the pot with the other vegetables. Taste for salt, add more if needed, and also add a bay leaf. Cook for 5-7 minutes — and it's ready.
- 15
Step 15
Serve botvinya with sour cream and herbs.