May the Borshch Be With You!

Last summer, after a long day of mowing in the meadow, my husband broke out in a blistering rash, far worse than any poison ivy or sumac we’d seen. When it failed to heal, he went to the doctor, who diagnosed it as the “Vermont plague,” brought on by cow parsnip. I’d never paid much attention to this wildflower before, except to admire its beautiful white umbels. So of course I was curious to find out more. Heracleum, named after Hercules by the great taxonomist Linnaeus for its great height and sturdy stalk, has several varieties that grow wild throughout Siberia and the Caucasus. Apparently the Siberian variety doesn’t cause the dreaded rash, though the Caucasian one does. As I read on, I was startled to discover that the Russian name for this plant is borshchevik. My husband, it turns out, was poisoned by the plant that gave rise to one of his favorite soups, borshch!*

Well before anyone was putting beets into water to make a garnet-colored soup, they were using the leaves of cow parsnip instead, which are said to taste something like asparagus. They can be simmered like fresh spinach, sorrel or nettle into a dark-green soup. Like nettles, the leaves must be picked early, when still young and tender.

We have the Ukrainians to thank for introducing borshch made from the beet root, sometime around the fourteenth century. The soup likely made its way to Russia only after the sixteenth century, since it’s not mentioned in the Domostroi, the book of household management. The association of borshch with Russian cuisine, especially in the United States, can be attributed to the influx of Russian Jewish immigrants in the late nineteenth century. They popularized the hearty version of the soup in delicatessens. Borshch turned glamorous with the post-Revolutionary wave of White Russian émigrés, whose haunts like the Russian Tea Room in New York City served up a clear, elegant beet soup called borshchok.

In its native Ukraine, borshch has over a hundred local variations, with each region asserting that its version is best. Some recipes are complex, calling for up to 20 different ingredients, while others are quite simple. What unites them all are the beets that give the soup its gorgeous color, the only exception being “green borshch” flavored with spinach and sorrel. Kiev-style borshch calls for lamb and mushrooms, while borshch from Poltava uses poultry. In Galicia, potatoes predominate; in Chernigov, summer squash. The Konotop version is famous for its heartiness, boasting three different meats, usually beef, lamb and chicken. Moscow-style borshch is rich with tomatoes. The most deeply flavored borshch is made not with water, but with beet kvas, the liquid from fermented beets. Kvas made from rye bread can also be used, as can the liquid from pickled beets. An acidic ingredient should always be added to balance the beets’ natural sweetness. Tomatoes, tart apples, vinegar and lemon juice can all find their way into the broth, and of course a final dollop of sour cream in the bowl adds a tangy touch.

There are nearly as many techniques for preparing borshch as there are ingredients, and each cook swears by her own method. The beets can be boiled or baked before being added to the pot. They can be cut into large chunks, finely chopped, or grated. Some cooks like to sauté them first in the pan with onions and garlic before adding water. I often grate a small raw beet in at the end and cook the soup for just 10 minutes more, to heighten its color.

In his Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, Vladimir Dal names yet another soup, borshchovka, which is made from the stalks of the borshchevik plant, instead of its leaves. I may have to try that next summer, though I’ll be sure to harvest the plant before any toxins develop. For now, I’ll stick to the wonderfully warming version below. Though it can be put together quickly, this soup, like most, will benefit from an overnight rest in the refrigerator, so that its flavors take on additional depth.

Moscow-Style Borshch
Борщ московский

2 pounds beef shin or chuck with bone

9 cups water

3 medium beets, peeled and cut in half

1 to 1½ tablespoons salt, to taste

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 small carrot, peeled and grated

½ medium head of white cabbage (¾ pound), shredded

1 ripe tomato, coarsely chopped (or use a few canned tomatoes)

6 tablespoons tomato paste

4 whole black peppercorns

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 bay leaf

Sour cream for garnish

In a large stockpot, simmer the beef in the water for 30 minutes, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Add the beets and salt, and boil for 10 minutes more.

Remove the beets from the broth and grate them coarsely. Return the grated beets to the pot and add the remaining ingredients, except for the bay leaf and sour cream.

Simmer the soup until the meat is tender, about 1½ hours. Remove the pot from the heat and add the bay leaf. Let the soup cool to room temperature, then chill overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, lift off the fat and reheat the soup.

To serve, place a slice of meat in each bowl. Ladle in some soup, and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 6 to 8.

Adapted from A Taste of Russia

* One often sees the spelling borscht (including in Webster’s Dictionary), but this is an incorrect transcription, as there is no ‘t’ in the Russian word (борщ).