Loaded with immune-boosting nutrients, a bowl of borscht is the perfect cure to a cold winter day. Serve with butter beet green toasts for a complete meal.
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What makes this borscht so nutritious? With a high concentration of lycopene, a free radical-fighting antioxidant, from the tomato paste, and loaded with immune-boosting vitamin C from the beets, this bowl of goodness will help keep you in top shape during cold and flu season. It’s also simply comforting and soothing, a perfect soup recipe for warming up chilly weeknights or if you already are sick.
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Borscht and Beet Green Compound Butter Toasts
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Vegetarian, Omnivore, Gluten-Free
Description
Vibrant borscht, a classic Eastern European soup, gets a gourmet twist with homemade beet green compound butter. Perfect for a special brunch!
Ingredients
- 0.25 cups (59 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large white or yellow onion
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 4 medium carrots
- 1 lbs (454 g) red beets
- 1 small green cabbage
- 2 quarts (1893 ml) vegetable stock
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) tomato paste
- 3 large potatoes
- 2 large bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 0.25 cups (59 ml) sherry vinegar
- Chopped fresh dill
- Sour cream
- Beet greens reserved from 1 lbs (454 g) red beets
- 0.25 cups (59 ml) water
- 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 0.25 lbs (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1 baguette
Instructions
- Heat oil in a 6-quart stock pot over low heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Add carrots, beets, cabbage, stock, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
- Drain potatoes and add to the pot, along with bay leaves, sea salt, pepper, and vinegar. Simmer for 40 minutes.
- To serve, top with dill and a dollop of sour cream (if using).
- Beet Green Compound Butter
- Clean beet greens thoroughly and roughly chop.
- Place beet greens in a sauté pan over medium heat; add water and salt. Cook greens until completely wilted, stirring constantly. Drain greens and transfer to a plate to cool.
- When greens are cool enough to handle, using your hands, squeeze out all excess liquid.
- Combine greens, garlic, and butter in a food processor. Puree until smooth and well incorporated.
- To serve, spread on baguette slices.
Notes
- For richer flavor, roast the beets and carrots before adding them to the soup.
- If you don’t have sherry vinegar, substitute red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- For easier cleanup, line your food processor bowl with plastic wrap before pureeing the beet green compound butter.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 20
Frequently Asked Questions
What are beet greens and how do I use them?
Beet greens are the leafy tops of beetroot plants and taste similar to chard or spinach. They are edible raw in salads, sautéed as a side dish, or blended into compound butter as in this recipe.
What is compound butter and how do I make it?
Compound butter is softened butter mixed with flavorings, then rolled in plastic wrap and chilled until firm. Here, beet greens are blended into the butter before shaping.
What type of bread works best for the toasts?
A sturdy sourdough or rye bread holds up best under the borscht and compound butter without going soggy quickly. A thick slice is preferable to thin sandwich bread.
Can I make the borscht in advance?
Yes, borscht actually improves after a day in the fridge. Make it up to 3 days ahead and reheat gently on the stovetop before serving over toasts.
