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Borscht
Serves 6-8 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1 white cabbage, cored and finely shredded
- 500g peeled raw beetroot (prepared weight), grated
- 50g butter
- 1 large white onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2tbsp caraway seeds
- 200ml white wine
- 1 litre chicken stock
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1tbsp thyme leaves
To garnish
- soured cream
- avruga caviar (optional)
- some meat from slow-cooked duck legs (optional)
- soft thyme leaves
Method
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the cabbage and beetroot and blanch for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables from the pan and place on a tray or baking sheet lined with kitchen paper to drain; reserve the cooking water.
In a large, heavy-based saucepan, melt the butter over a medium-low heat. Once foaming, add the onion and cook gently, stirring from time to time, until softened, but without colour. Stir in the caraway and sweat for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble away and reduce by half, then add the cabbage and beetroot. Pour in the chicken stock and top up with some of the reserved cooking liquid if necessary to cover the vegetables. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice, wine vinegar and thyme leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper and adjust the consistency with more of the reserved cooking liquid if necessary.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top with spoonfuls of soured cream. Spoon on some caviar and shredded, cooked duck if you’re feeling extra indulgent, and scatter over some thyme leaves.
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