Barszcz Czerwony (Red Beet Soup)

For the past five years or so I have had a borscht problem. Basically, everything in borscht sounds delicious: sweet chopped beets, lots of onions and garlic, so-good-for-you cabbage, and a rich hearty broth perfect for a dollop of sour cream. With the best of intentions I have made borscht about a dozen times over the years, and each time I have been utterly underwhelmed with the result. As I geared up for my latest attempt, I thought long and hard about why my borscht has failed where so many other soups have succeeded. After much reflection, I think I have fingered my culprit: the 28oz can of chopped tomatoes.

Now I am not totally anti-canned tomato. There is a time and place for it - when making chili or a wintertime marinara, or anything where you know you are going to spice the heck out of it. However, in a dish as simple and guileless as borscht, there is nothing to cut that overwhelming canned tomato taste. Also, I feel like tomatoes and beets are a rough combination; the acid in the tomatoes negates the sweetness of the beets and leaves you with a big bowl of pink, bland mush.

I built this borscht recipe from the ground up, doing a little research into regional variations and taking out everything I don't like while adding in a little extra of what do. The end result is a little closer to an extra-chunky Polish Barszcz, and will really sing if made with homemade vegetable broth.



Barszcz Czerwony (Red Beet Soup)

ingredients
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 stem of celery, chopped
1-2 carrots, chopped into coins
4 small beets with greens (peel and chop beets, rinse and chop greens including stems)
1 potato, peeled and chopped
2 cups red cabbage, chopped into thin ribbons
1/3 cup red wine
4 cups of vegetable broth, homemade or high quality
2 bay leaves
fresh ground pepper
salt
the juice of 1/2 a lemon

Sauté the onion in a the olive oil over medium heat until the onion is transparent. Add in the garlic, celery and carrot and sauté for one minute more. Add the chopped beet greens and cabbage, as well as the red wine. Pop a cover on the pot and allow the steam from the red wine to wilt the beet greens. When they are softened add the chopped beets, potatoes, vegetable broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Simmer maybe 15 - 20 minutes until the beets are soft. Add salt and fresh ground pepper (light on the salt, heavy on the pepper) and lemon juice. Take a bite and close your eyes, because you live in flavor country now and it is Kraków.