Borscht…A Beautiful Soup for the Holidays

First let me preface this post with the statement that if you don’t like beets normally, you will love Borscht.

One thing that can said about me from birth, is that I have always sought out the new, different and loved to learn from others cultures. I could be never be one to fit into a  specific box . I have my mother to thank ,for nurturing  this curious spirit of mine. For some reason these days, I’m all into Russian food. If I cant travel, I visit through my kitchen. I even added to the final missing link to my Culinaria series, which was the Russian edition. A coworker saw me reading the Russian edition  and asked

“Why Russia?”

…and I replied “Why Not?”

to which he thought for a moment and said “Touche”

Admittedly , listening to my Russian co workers  has piqued my curiosity. Russian being used in the broadest terms,as each region has its own unique identity. The Polish co workers then pipe in with their versions of the same dish and we get into a whole discussion on recipes and traditions. This is what we do when bored, and I love it!

So lets talk about Borscht. The Ukrainians consider themselves the inventors of Borscht. This “land on the edge” with its main capital of Kiev. All the trade routes crossed this region and The Ukrainians have been under various rulers for centuries, until it was absorbed by the former Soviet Union. In 1991 the finally achieved their independence. The Ukraine can owe its rich culinary tradition to its lands that are known for its mushrooms, berries, grains, vegetables and other fruits. Even wines. Maybe their rich and varied diet contributes to  beauty of the Ukrainian people who seem to produce some of the worlds top models. Food for thought…

Now there are many variations for this beet flavored stew/soup Borscht. From totally vegetarian to more hearty like stew, like I made.  Originally Borscht was just a soup made from wild plants and oats. Beets evolved into the soup late on. The beauty of Borscht is that it can change seasonally with whats on hand. In conversations with my friends I find they like to add beef short ribs  to flavor the base and to add heartiness to the soup.  Potatoes, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms and even beet leaves or sorrel can be added. That’s the beauty of the soup. In Poland at Christmas barszcz , a thinner vegetarian Borscht is made  and served with dumplings called uszka. Borscht really celebrates natures bounty can really decrease waste. In fact it evolved as a way families saved vegetable scraps and  trimmings, and stored outside during the frozen winter, to make into soups later on. So think of all those veggies in your fridge that need to be put to use and make a borscht. Your family will thank you for it. Don’t forget to top it with the Sour Cream , that’s the best part many people believe.

I have techniques I use in soup making that may vary from traditional Borscht recipes.  I will give you a clear recipe but I wanted to explain my process and traditional processes. Whatever you do do , remember the beets are sauteed separate and should not be added until the final stage of cooking, We don’t want the beets to lose color and darken. We want to retain the bright red color. For my version I used beef shank because it was cheaper than short ribs, although not as much meat. It requires hours of cooking to make tender. I peeled chopped and diced my potatoes , carrots, golden beets, onions, and garlic and roated them first with my beef shanks to brown in dutch oven. Then I placed it stove top and added my liquids. I find roasting of veggies and meats coaxed the flavor out more rather than browning on the stove top. The ingredients can vary and be based on what you have.  For meat you can use pork, beef , chicken or lamb. Don’t worry about being exact. Cooking should be fun and improvisational, not rigid. Also note that borscht always tastes better the next day. But if you cant wait until then  wait for at least 40 minutes for flavors to merge before serving.

Borscht...A Beautiful Soup for the Holidays
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A thick hearty soup from the Ukraine
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1-2 lbs beef short ribs, shank , etc. You can use whatever meat you desire form pork, chicken or lamb.
  • 1 large onion
  • 4 carrots peeled and chopped fine.
  • 3-4 medium potatoes peeled and chopped.
  • 1-2 golden beets optional* ( had on hand)
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • a touch of vegetable or olive oil
  • ⅛ tsp Celery seed
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 small head of white cabbage shredded
  • 3 qts or more of beef stock ( can use bouillon and water)
  • 3-4 large red beets peeled julienned into strips
  • ½ cup chopped fatty bacon, guanciale or other fatty pork
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • Bay Leaf
  • 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 tbsp sugar
  • Sour cream to garnish
  • Fresh Dill & Parsley to garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. In a large Dutch Oven add the beef shanks, ribs, etc and the peeled and chopped potatoes, carrots, golden beets,onions, and garlic.
  3. Toss with a little oil , season with salt and pepper and roast for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until softened and browned.
  4. In a separate skillet , render fat a bit from the bacon or fatty pork product and the peeled and julliened red beets. Saute for a few minutes.
  5. Add the tomato paste to the beets. Continue to saute.
  6. Add the vinegar to the beets and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside.
  7. Remove the Ducth Oven form the oven and place on stove top.
  8. Add the 3 qts of stock or water and bouliion.
  9. Bring to a simmer on a low heat and adjust seasonings to taste. Now's the time to add more salt etc.
  10. Add cabbage, celery seed, bay leaf.
  11. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours until beef is tender. At this point you may add more liquid if needed.
  12. For the last 10 -15 minutes of cooking add the red beets, tomato mixture to the soup base. Add sugar.Simmer uncovered .
  13. Adjust seasonings( maybe add more vinegar ,salt or pepper).
  14. Remove from heat after 15 minutes.
  15. Let sit for at least 45 minuted before serving.
  16. Garnish with fresh sour cream , dill and parsley.
Notes
Do not overcook the beets in the soup. Only add at the last stage and cook no longer than 15 minutes in the soup. You can adapt this recipe to incorporate may types of seasonal produce or using what ever meat you like on hand. You can also make it completely vegan by omitting the animal products and meat.

 

 

Turning Honey Into Wine…The Art of Making Mead

In life you can have many types of friends that each fit into a type of box. I met The Alchemist ten years ago at a French Wine tasting class.The class was composed of five women, who to this day are still in contact, even though we are scattered geographically and politically. I wouldn’t say any of us are best friends, but we are there for each other  and always bond over a bottle or two of wine and great food , which is what brought us together in the first place. Out of all the women, The Alchemist is the one I’m closer to and encourages my culinary dreams, when I cant see the potential inside myself. I get so so busy that I sometimes just need to accept an offer of something creative and unique.

“Wanna make some Mead?”, the Alchemist said.

My first thought was , that was the stuff she goes on about at the Renaissance Festivals. And then I started to think of the whole hippy dippy culture that converges onto the annual Renaissance Festival at the border of Wisconsin. I remember tasting the honey based fermented wine once on an extremely hot day with her, and don’t remember being wowed by it.Exaggerated images of her drinking Mead in Renaissance garb popped into my head. It’s hard  for me to commit to a lot of things socially , but I blocked off October 31st in my calendar. I really didn’t give a thought to the date having any significance. As the Alchemist has more disposable income than myself, she invested in the wine making equipment. The first Mead was going to be a Pumpkin Pie Mead an I was going to bring the spices of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg along with some label designs. The Alchemist had piles of noted from conversations with Mead experts.Mead making is an exact science with no room for bacterial contamination or error. All of the ingredients were laid out on her granite counter.On her counter sat fifteen pounds of cloudy Wisconsin honey from her mentors own apiary, waiting to be clarified.Earlier The Alchemist  had filled cases of old wine bottles, which we would recycle to bottle with water from her parents spring fed lake.We proceeded to  boil and sterilize the water,  then filter .While clarifying the honey , and heating, and filtering the water, we plotted out a flavor profile and I suggested a few black peppercorns to blend out the flavor.

“Come here”, she beckoned as she stood over the steaming hot water we were about to filter. “It smells like the lake”, she enthused. “It smells like the earth”, I acknowledged.

Mossy and flinty, I understood at that very moment what Terroir in wine making is all about. The flavors of the land infused in your wine. We pondered if filtering would erase that scent that wafted through our nostrils and the sweet pumpkin, honey, and spicy herbs will all converge.

“I will pitch the yeast at the strike of 11:11 “, she said as she sprinkled bee pollen and golden raisins to our Must, the combination  of heated water and honey.

The pumpkin would be added  later on in the process. She then measured the density of the solution. Still warm from the hot honey, we had to wait for it to reach the proper level. I had noticed she mentioned pitching the yeast at eleven before. But like many things she says I really didn’t gather the significance. The Alchemist then went on to explain the significance of the Samhain or the the date and auspicious Grand Trine timing of the pitching of the yeast. It was  all about the Autumnal equinox and this was to be  her first series based on the  midpoint  season of the year. So it wasn’t  about cutesy pumpkins on Halloween , but more about  paying tribute to our local harvests, resources and respecting the cycle of nature. I took my last appreciative swig  of an Apple Mead we drank while working. At the end of the end of day I had new found appreciation for the  for the process and the beauty of Mead, the drink of the Gods, and glad I could share a unique moment with my brilliant , scientific, if not quirky friend. I could not wait for the fermenting to succeed and for us to rack our beautiful golden liquid , which be ready by the New Year. We ended up doing a total of three rackings  and finally bottled it January 31st to make way for The Alchemist’s new red Mead project. The wine is still young, and a bit dry. By Fall it should be ready to consume befitting it’s theme of Pumpkin Pie. The cycle of nature truly at work. Take a look at the slide show and video for more on the three month process.


Marx Foods Iron Foodie 2010… And A Local Event for Chicago Sears Chef Challenge

Iron Foodie 2010 | Here's Why that will be me:
MarxFoods.com -- Fine Bulk Foods The Foodie BlogRoll

Those that know me well, know I’m totally am not into whole popularity contests I see going on the food blog world.So many contests lately are based on who can rustle up the most votes rather than actual merit. There I said it and but it’s really a pet peeve of mine. However there are some challenges and contests that genuinely appeal to me , and that I would want to do just for the pure joy and creative outlet it provides. When I saw this email announcement from the Foodie Blogroll for an Iron Foodie Contest with Marx Foods, I said I so want to do this! So here is Step One, which is to answer these questions:

  • Why do you want to compete in this challenge?

I believe I answered this above. But an Iron Foodie Challenge from Marx Foods is right up my alley. I have entered several Marx contests before and love their offerings of premium meats, poultry, and pasta. It’s been a while since I did anything with them but this challenge is calling my name. Iron Chef with Marx Ingredients. Oh yes! I have the creativity for this one. Bring it on.

  • Limitations of time/space notwithstanding, whose kitchen would you like to spend the day in & why? Julia Child, Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, James Beard, Marie-Antoine Careme, or The Swedish Chef?

Marie-Antoine Careme, bien sur! I love history and even more so food history. That’s what sets me apart from the average blogger, in that I know who he is. Check out my peach souffle I made for his Birthday. I can see my myself time travelling to work with the first Celebrity Chef who cooked for kings and heads of state. To toil in the kitchens with him and construct elaborate piece montees, souffles and the vol au vents which he invented by the way. Of course as a time traveller I would know he would meet an early end from all that carbon monoxide he inhaled in those non ventilated  ancient kitchens. But of the palaces we would see and and the education I would get. Yes that’s who I would want to work with for one imaginary day. I would probably have to disguise myself as a man, but a girls got to do what she’s got to do.

  • What morsel are you most likely to swipe from family & friends’ plates when they aren’t looking?

The olives. They should never go to waste. And bits of crispy skin.

  • Sum your childhood up in one meal.

A seafood feast of lobsters and Dungenesee crabs. I was very spoiled and my mother encouraged and indulged my tastes.

  • The one mainstream food you can’t stand? 

Peanut Butter repulses me. I get sick just smelling it.

So step one is completed. I do hope I get chosen among the lucky 25 bloggers to compete.

In other food news….

If you are in Chicago this week,you should check out the Sears Chef Challenge  Grand Championship  on November 4th. Along with the competition,  a canned food drive benefiting the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation will also take place during the Sears Chef Challenge Grand Championship. They are also encouraging attendees donate products when they arrived at the Kenmore Live Studio. Here are the details:

Chicago’s own Le Cordon Bleu Chef Mark Maassen will be competing to win an additional $10,000 to donate to a local Chicago food pantry charity for an overall donation of $20,000, as well as a full kitchen renovation from Sears. Maassen will face New York-based Chef Alex Dino on Nov. 4 for the Championship round of the Sears Chef Challenge after defeating 22 other chefs in previous rounds of the Sears Chef Challenge competition.

The competition is free to the public and attendees will be able to view the cook-off as well as experience and taste the food. In addition, those who will not be able to attend the event will still be able to view it by streaming the competition online at
www.SearsChefChallenge.com

 Kenmore Live Studio
678 North Wells (Huron & Wells)

Chicago, IL 60654

312.265.0871

 

And last but not least,your chance to  enter Black Atlas’ contest to meet Marcus Samuelsson and attend the Red Rooster opening is ending soon.

Carrot Kohlrabi and Arugula Salad

The first time I tasted Kohlrabi (aka German Turnip) was in Germany. A raw piece of this green round multi stemmed vegetable was proffered like a slice of apple. I was pleasantly surprised as this was a new and somewhat foreign vegetable for me. After a heavy meat laden week with them ( it’s Germany) , this fresh offering was welcome. Certain Someones parents  have  a garden, a Scherbergartan (allotment garden) in their family for about the past 50 years.His grandfather was the original gardener, and when he died , his parents took it over. It’s hard work and the garden yields a lot of fruits and vegetables. Approximately 4 million  Germans have Scherbergartens . Originally the concept can  be attributed to Dr. Daniel Moritz Scherber and Karl Gessel.  Family gardens allowed working class city dwellers to have a plot of land  to grow fruit and vegetables . The small houses in the garden provide a weekend getaway and respite from the city. For Dr. Scherber it was all about fresh air and educating children.

After that first taste I never had Kohlrabi again unfortunately. Not  until it showed up my organic delivery box. I really didn’t want to cook it . My friends on Twitter suggested a myriad of ideas from making a gratin , pickling it, or just eating it raw. I decided to shred it like a slaw with some vinaigrette ( another brilliant suggestion) and other vegetables from the box. Paired with peppery Arugula, this salad is just perfect for summer.

[print_this]

Carrot Kohlrabi and Arugula Salad

Serves 2

  • 1 Kohlrabi ( skinned and grated)
  • 2 carrots ( skinned and grated)
  • 1 red bell pepper , Julienned
  • Arugula

Vinaigrette

  • 1 part red wine vinegar
  • 1 part olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp mustard powder
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • dried herbs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. In a bowl mix your grated  carrots and kohlrabi .
  2. Mix up your Vinaigrette ingredients and toss.
  3. Toss in with the Arugula.
  4. Serve.

[/print_this]

 

Sexy Horchata With A Twist

Horchata….I love to say say that word. For some reason its conjures up sexiness to me. Maybe because when I first heard of this, I was  young and it just seemed so exotic. Sexy people sipping a Horchata  in the beaming sun. Horchata is known as The Drink of The Gods.With images of sexiness and sunshine with some glamor,  I sought out to taste it. Unfortunately I tasted a bad version of it in D.C, and never really thought much of it again  for years after that. Funny how one bad experience can set you off.

Here’s a little back story. I love milk and milk doesn’t like me at all. Now Certain Someone can drink some milk. Sometimes I look at him and just crave a tall cold creamy glass, but we both know there will be dire consequences if that happens. So when budgets permit I like to buy myself some delicious Almond or Rice milks, but that can get really pricey. Then I became reacquainted with this drink, Horchata, and I’m onto a new thing! Nothing is more filling and thirst quenching then a tall ice cold glass of this drink ,originating form Spain, and arriving in various forms throughout the Latin America.The Mexican version of Horchata is made from pulverized long grain rice, water, cinnamon,sugar and lime zest. In Spain, where it originates, its called Horchata Chufa , and is made from Tiger Nuts or Chufas. Chufas can be traced all the way back to ancient Egypt and have many healthy properties.Similar in taste to an almond, its not surprising the Spaniards used almonds, and rice  when they brought the drink to the new world. Maybe I wasn’t to far off in equating sexiness and Horchatas. Both Chufa /Tiger Nuts and Almonds are all aphrodisiacs. Drink Up.

I came across a recipe from a well known cookbook author, who I won’t mention, and he seemed to miss an important and vital step, straining it. I was running low on Cinnamon sticks, so I decided to use the lone stick I had with  some Cardamon, not authentic, but why not? I also used whole almond that hadn’t been blanched. Since I was straining the mixture, I felt it wouldn’t matter in appearance.This drink is so good I would like to keep it always prepared in my refrigerator. It can also served as a base for alcoholic drinks mixed with rum. So before you go buy commercial Almond Milks or Rice Milks. Try this at home for a fraction of the cost, and far more tastier. I submit this  for a long overdue Meatless Mondays Post.

[print_this]

Horchata With A Twist

  • 1  1/2 cups uncooked rice, preferably long grain
  • Zest of 1 lime ( keep zest in larger pieces to strain out)
  • 4 cups of cold water ( 2 for soaking  and 2 for blending)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5-7  Green Cardamon Pods, shelled
  • 1/2 cup cane sugar
  • 1 cup almonds ( blanched or un blanched)
  1. In a large bowl soak rice, Cinnamon sticks, cardamon seeds and lime zest. Cover and let rest for 24 hours in the refrigerator . Some methods pulverize rice first in blender ,as well, then soak. Either way a good straining will be needed after blending.
  2. Remove Cinnamon sticks and lime zest.
  3. Take a blender and in small batches , blend the  rice ,water , with the almonds ,as best you can until a white liquid forms.
  4. Once all blended and sugar and mix.
  5. Strain twice through a fine meshed sieve or through cheesecloth to extract the liquid from the remaining gritty residue.
  6. Using a funnel bottle liquid and store in the refrigerator. Horcahta will last a few weeks in the fridge.
  7. Serve in chilled glasses or with ice.

[/print_this]

Don’t forget you have until next week to win a set of Three Nordic Ware Bundt Pans for my Housewarming Party for Coco-Cooks.com.