Simple Vegetarian Borscht
Borscht, like gazpacho, is difficult to define; there are more versions than you can count. But at least we know they all (or almost all, anyway) contain beets (it's likely that the word borscht comes from the same root as the word for beet). And usually borscht is served cold. But it can be a vegetarian affair or a big meaty stew. The vegetarian version is usually served cold, while the beefy version is usually a hot winter dish. Here's a fairly simple cold borscht with hot potatoes, a style I have made for thirty years
- 2 pounds beets, peeled
- 1 large white onion, peeled
- 1 bunch of fresh dill
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 hard-cooked eggs , peeled and quartered, for garnish, optional
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, cut in half, seeded, and diced
- 4 medium red or white waxy potatoes, boiled until tender and kept hot, for garnish, optional
- Fresh lemon juice to taste
- Sour cream or yogurt for serving
Instructions:
-  Grate the beets and the onion together; you can do this on a box grater or, faster and easier, in a food processor; use either the basic metal blade and pulse carefully (do not puree) or the grating disk. Put them in a large saucepan with the stems of the dill (tie them in a bundle) and water to cover, about 6 cups.
- Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the liquid simmers steadily but not violently, until the beets are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper, remove the dill stems, and chill. Meanwhile, prepare the eggs, cucumber, and/or potato.
- When the soup is cold, taste and add lemon juice, salt, and pepper as necessary. Snip or chop the remaining dill. Serve the borscht in bowls, with any of the garnishes you like as well as the dill; pass sour cream at the table.