BORSCHT
Borscht is such a wonderfully tasty way to use up any veggies you might have in your refrigerator. The combination of beets and fresh dill is great, and the beef broth gives the soup a lovely richness. You can make your own beef broth (see the Chicken Soup recipe, here), but if you’re in a hurry or don’t have any, some store-bought broth will do the trick. SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
8 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 dried bay leaves
3 beets, peeled
¼ cup minced fresh dill
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion becomes slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the carrots, celery, and oregano to the onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and stir. Reduce the heat to low, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables become fork-tender.
- Carefully transfer the simmering broth to the pot with the vegetables. Add the bay leaves, and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Grate the beets right into the soup, and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
- Add the dill, and remove the borscht from the heat. Stir in the red wine vinegar and serve.
VARIATION 1 VEGETARIAN BORSCHT: Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth if you’d like to make a vegetarian-friendly soup.
VARIATION 2 BORSCHT WITH COCONUT CREAM: Traditionally, borscht is served garnished with sour cream, but since dairy isn’t Paleo, you can top it with whipped coconut cream—refrigerate a can of coconut cream overnight and then scoop the solid part out from the top. Whip it quickly in a mixer to make it extra fluffy, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to bring out a more savory flavor. Spoon a dollop onto the soup.
PREP TIP: Make this soup ahead of time, and reheat on the stove before serving.
