Untraditional Borscht: Russian Soup with a Twist
A Modern Look at a Traditional & Hearty European Soup Recipe
Nov 5, 2009
Recipes don't always have to be exact. Mixing and matching keeps your recipes fresh not only in spirit, but by using the fresh ingredients you already have.
"Twisted Borscht" is a delicious, stick-to-your-bones cold weather soup that's both healthy and low in fat! It's beautiful to serve when entertaining during the Holidays with the beautiful reds and greens in the soup.
Type: Soup
Serve With: Sour cream and/or white vinegar & fresh, crusty bread
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hr, 30 min
Yield: 1 large stock pot
Nutrition Facts:
Even if you don't have the exact ingredients a recipe calls for, try improvising to make traditional dishes not to traditional! With the wide array of fabulous organic ingredients today, be inspired to make this soup. Organic ingredients enhance taste, and make recipes healthier for you and your family.
* FYI: Russian Borscht is traditionally made with beef, but this is a "twisted" version made with chicken - and not only chicken, but with chicken wings. Soup stocks are best made with bone-in meat. In addition, the classic borscht is made with green cabbage. To twist this ingredient, Brussel sprouts, which are like mini cabbages, are used. How cute!
Russian Borscht
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs Chicken Wings – In the true spirit of a "twisted" recipe, you may use any type of chicken parts.
- 4 large Carrots – Chopped
- 2 celery Stalks – Chopped
- 2 dozen Brussel Sprouts – Quartered if small; cut into 6 if larger
- 1 large Beet – Peeled and Diced; baseball-sized
- 1 large Onion – Diced
- 3 cloves of Garlic – Whole
- 4 large Potatoes – Diced
- 16 oz Tomato – Canned or fresh
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh Parsley – Chopped; 1 tsp, if using dried parsley
- 2 tbsp fresh Dill – Chopped; 1 tsp, if using dried dill
- * 1/8 tsp Dill Seeds – * Optional
- 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 2 whole Cloves
- 1 pinch Nutmeg – Freshly ground is best.
- 8 whole Peppercorns
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper – To taste
- 1 3/4 tbsp Sea Salt – To taste
- 1/2 bottle Beer
- Water – Stock pot 3/4 full; filtered is best.
Instructions:
- Fill a large stock pot 3/4 full with water. Add peppercorns, sea salt, bay leaves, garlic cloves and cloves. Turn up to high heat.
- Wash chicken wings and put into pot. Turn down heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, which will take 15-20 minutes. Then, lower heat to medium. * Tip: Frozen chicken works well too.
- Simmer until chicken is cooked through. In other words, the chicken juices should run clear if cutting into a piece. This should take about 45 minutes. * Tip: Skim off the beige foam that may accumulate on top of the soup. Simply use a large spoon and skim the top off and discard it. Don't worry - these are the impurities of chicken (the leas) and are easy to remove.
- Remove chicken out of soup and set aside. Once the chicken is cool, remove meat off bones. Discard bones and skin.
- Add chopped celery, carrots, beets, onions and dill seeds. Cook until tender, which will take about 15 minutes. * Tip: Additional water may need to be added to keep pot at 3/4 full again.
- Chop fresh tomatoes or squeeze whole canned tomatoes through fingers and add them to the pot. Add 1" diced potatoes and simmer for 7 more minutes.
- Add beer, nutmeg, dill, cayenne pepper, parsley, and freshly ground black pepper and simmer for additional 7 minutes.
- Serve soup with chicken. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and/or use white vinegar for seasoning. Serve with fresh, crusty bread. Enjoy!
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