Chilled borscht (chłodnik)
From Anastasia, Carnegie Hill CSAThis is a light and refreshing cold soup, and my family’s go-to recipe for lunch on hot summer days. Adding a little vinegar to the raw beets helps go retain their rich color during cooking, while also marinading them a little. This recipe is for a big batch that will last you all week long, so feel free to scale it down for fewer servings.
Ingredients
- 4-5 beets with greens attached
- 2 TBS balsamic vinegar or another sweet vinegar
- ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
- 2 stalks celery optional
- ¼ cup fresh herbs such as parsley or dill
- For serving:
For serving
- 8 hard boiled eggs chopped (1 per serving)
- 2 cucumbers quartered and thinly sliced
- 6 radishes cut into matchsticks
- 1 bunch scallions chopped
- Parsley for garnish finely chopped (optional)
- Dill for garnish finely chopped (optional)
- Sour cream for garnish optional
Instructions
- Cut off the beet greens and reserve. Wash and scrub beetroots thoroughly, then peel them, and grate them into a bowl. Sprinkle the balsamic vinegar on top of the beets and let stand for 5-10 minutes.
- Put the beet mixture into a large pot and cover with 6 qt cold water. Bring to a boil, add salt, then reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, separate the beet stalks from the leaves. Chop the stalks finely and chiffonade the leaves or chop them into 1” pieces. Add the beet stalks to the pot after about 10 minutes of cooking. If using celery, dice it finely and add to the pot now as well. Cook for 5 minutes longer and add the beet leaves and herbs. Cook until the grated beets are soft but not falling apart, about 45 minutes to an hour.
- Taste and adjust for salt and vinegar. If it tastes bland, you can add 1 tsp sugar. Chill.
- Serve cold. To serve, put the chopped hard boiled egg into a soup bowl with some cucumber, radish, and scallions, then ladle the chilled soup on top. Garnish with parsley, dill, and sour cream, if using.