Chilled Vegetarian Borscht
Instructions:
- vegetable s tock
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed under a knife and peeled
- 4 parsley sprigs
- 1/ 4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 pound red beets, peeled and cut into 1/ 2 -inch dice
- 1 medium kohlrabi or celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into1/ 2 -inch dice
- 1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and cut into1/ 2 -inch dice
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sour cream, for serving
- Chopped fresh dill, for serving
- To make the stock, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, uncovered, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 1/2 quarts water, the parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and set the lid askew. Cook at a brisk simmer until reduced to 6 cups, about 40 minutes. Strain in a colander into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Set the stock aside.
- To make the soup, heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the reserved stock, beets, kohlrabi, tomato, vinegar, and sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and partially cover the pot. Cook until the beets are tender, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. Reseason with salt and pepper. Serve the borscht chilled, topping each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a generous sprinkling of dill.