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!
All chopped up and ready to be sautéed.
Gorgeous rainbow of vegetables!
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!!
