The Soup of the Russian Nobility

Although it may come as a surprise to some, Russia is not all about long cold winters. In fact, in the summer, when the mercury rises above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), you may find yourself craving a cold shower and an icy drink.

Russians love to eat soup and are unwilling to give up this habit just because of a few hot days. However, in the heat, a bowl of steaming shcham or boiling borsch is unlikely to whet the appetite. So, to replace these culinary masterpieces, a suitable summer substitute had to be found – cold soups, of which there are a great many in Russia. Okroshka, (made with kvas and vegetables), svekolnik (made with beets), botvinia (made with fish, pot-herbs, and kvas), and kholodnik, to name just a few, have been prepared in Russia since time immemorial. As we have already given you the recipe for  the most famous soup of all, okroshka, it is time now to talk about svekolnik.

Svekolnik is an aristocratic soup with a delicate flavor and a very pleasant appearance. It is no wonder then that it appeared on the tables of the upper crust before the October Revolution. The tsar was no exception, and we know that Nicholas II and his family enjoyed this soup as a regular part of their summer diet. Svekolnik was also served in expensive restaurants, where it vied with sophisticated French consomm≈e and rokshfor. It was also presented to foreign visitors as a Russian delicacy.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, svekolnik was extremely popular among fashionable Russian ladies, along with poets and other members of the intelligentsia. This cold soup was just the thing to accompany a heated discussion about philosophy, poetry, and socialism. What is more, since svekolnik is such a great diet food, you do not have to feel guilty about ruining your figure.

And then came the October Revolution. The nobility and intelligentsia were announced to be bourgeois, in other words superfluous to the young country of the Soviets, and their lifestyle and habits were destroyed. Naturally, far more important things than soup were forgotten in the process, but all the same, it was a shame about the svekolnik.

Of course, eating this soup was not expressly forbidden. Yet it is rumored that Stalin, dining at the house of an old friend and deciding the fate of many a friend and supporter, sampled the svekolnik and said ominously: “You don’t live like the rest of us.” Perhaps this is just a legend. But we do know for certain that, by the 1940s, svekolnik had disappeared from restaurant menus, and the people also gradually began to forget it. Now is a great time of year to revive this delicious and historical dish. We assure you that svekolnik is just right for summer, especially since it is so quick and easy to prepare.

      –Yelena Utenkova

SVEKOLNIK

Ingredients: 

2 medium-sized beets (boiled)

2 medium potatoes (boiled)

2 to 3 fresh cucumbers

a bunch of radishes

1/4 pound green onion

hard boiled eggs (one for every two servings)

salt and sugar to taste

one liter of beet broth.

Start by preparing a beet broth. To make a liter (a little over a quart), take half a pound of beets, wash and dice, add 4 cups of water and a few drops of lemon juice, and boil for 10-15 minutes. Then, strain and allow to cool.

Cut the potatoes into small cubes, grate the beets and radishes coarsely, chop the cucumbers and green onions, and mix thoroughly but carefully. Salt and sweeten to taste. Place in a bowl and pour in the beet broth. Carefully stir the mixture.

Now take half a hard-boiled egg and place in a dish with the svekolnik. The effect is very elegant!

By the way, you can add a little kvas to the svekolnik...