Vegetarian Borscht

London has been covered in snow for the past couple of days, and as a result I have been hibernating as much as I can! What was once luscious, fluffy, white snow has now turned into grey sludge. The cold air and the wet sludge outside has made me yearn for some comforting soup… and what could be more comforting (or joy-inducing) than a bowl of bright pink soup?!

I have been making my own version of the Russian classic Borscht for a while now, especially since going pescetarian (so many restaurants use beef-stock and include chunks of beef – except for The Delauney). I have always enjoyed Borscht, can’t quite decide if it’s the vinegar-y, slightly sweet taste of the soup, or just the colour… Probably just the latter!

 Gorgeous rainbow of vegetables!

All chopped up and ready to be sautéed. 

All the delicious vegetables in this recipe not only concoct a delicious soup, but the nutritional benefits are sure to be ridiculously great! I am a firm believer in eating the rainbow (more colours, more nutrients), and this soup packs in purple, orange, green and more green!! Beetroot in particular is a great source of calcium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C, and folic acid. Plus, the garlic in the soup is a great anti-oxidant AND anti-bacterial, warding off the cold and flu virus!

This recipe feeds 6 for starters, or 4 very hungry tummies…

            2 beetroots, peeled and diced

            2 potatoes, peeled and diced

            1 onion, peeled and diced

            3 stalks of celery, diced

            3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

            ½ head of cabbage, sliced (I used Savoy)

            1 tbsp bouillon

            1 litre of water (or enough to cover the vegetables in the pot)

            3 tbsp good quality vinegar

            1 tbsp sugar

            olive oil

            lots of dill

            pot of soured cream

Start by prepping all the ingredients. In a large pot, heat up a splash of olive oil before adding the garlic and onion. Allow the two to soften a little and flavor the oil. Then add the beetroot, carrots and celery and stir around in the pot and allow to soften for about 5 minutes. Then add the cabbage and potatoes, before covering all the vegetables in water. Add the bouillon, stir, and allow the soup to boil for 40 minutes. When all the vegetables have been thoroughly cooked through add the vinegar, sugar and dill. Blitz the soup up in a blender before serving in bowls with a dollop of soured cream and some chopped up dill!!