Blenderborscht Recipes

SUMMER BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place the beets in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook uncovered until the beets are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the beets to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and also set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the beet cooking liquid, the chicken stock, sour cream, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and the pepper. Peel the cooled beets with a small paring knife or rub the skins off with your hands. Cut the beets in small to medium dice. Add the beets, cucumber, scallions, and dill to the soup. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Season, to taste, and serve cold with a dollop of sour cream and an extra sprig of fresh dill.

BLENDER BORSCHT

Steps:

• Combine the 2 cans of beets and 1/2 cup of beet liquid in blender jar.
• Puree until mixture is smooth.
• Add chicken broth, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper and puree again until mixture is smooth.
• Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
• Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

SASHA'S VEGAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Cut the greens off the beets. Remove stems and discard. Wash and dry leaves, then chop. Set aside.
• Scrub beets and place into a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, covered, until beets can be easily pierced with a knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel immediately and grate coarsely. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large wide pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Add onion and slowly cook until soft and translucent, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant without browning, about 1 minute.
• Add carrots, rutabaga, and parsnip and cook over medium heat until vegetables start to soften, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with brown sugar and continue cooking until vegetables start to brown in some spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 2 quarts water, cabbage, salt, and bay leaf; stir well.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in beet greens in the last 2 minutes. Leave the pot uncovered so beet greens maintain their color.
• Mix in grated beets and remove borscht from the heat immediately to stop the cooking process; this will preserve its bright color. Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper.
• Serve sprinkled with parsley and a dollop of sour cream.

VEGAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the celery, carrots, bell pepper, beets including the greens, whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, potatoes, Swiss chard, and the onion mixture. Cook and stir until the chard begins to wilt, 4 to 8 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth, water, dill weed, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour.
• Strain half the beets from the broth and place in a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the beets moving before leaving it on to puree. Add the tofu, and continue pureeing until smooth. Stir the tofu mixture back into the pot. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by a third, about another hour. Serve chilled or warm.