Lilya's Summer Beet Borscht
One summer day, Jeffrey and I headed to Little Odessa in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. We were visiting our business partner Jackies ninety-two-year-old Russian-born great-aunt, Lilya. She had immigrated to Brighton Beach from the Soviet Union in 1989. Lilya was known for her borscht, and she invited us to spend time with her while she salted and seasoned three varieties of the soup. At ninety-two, she was extraordinary, foisting shots of vodka on us and showering us with words of wisdom. We left Brighton Beach inspired and feeling lucky to have met her. She passed away a couple of years later. We developed this recipe with her in mind. This beet borscht is perfect served chilled on summer days or served hot in the colder months. The ideal borscht, writes Aleksandar Hemon in the New Yorker of his Bosnian family traditions, contains everything and it can be refrigerated and reheated in perpetuity, always better the next day The crucial ingredient is a large, hungry family, surviving together. Jeffrey thinks that this recipe should utilize rossel (the brine from fermented beets, otherwise known as beet kvass) instead of vinegar to add tang, since traditionally borschts coveted sour flavor was cultivated by first fermenting the beets. But I disagree. I like the flavor that vinegar adds, even if it isnt as Old World. This recipe uses vinegar (I won!), but if youd like to be more old school and first wait a week to ferment your beets, follow the Beet and Ginger Kvass recipe but omit the ginger. And while this recipe calls for roasting beets and adding them to the soup, it also tastes great without roasted beets. Just cut the beet amount to 1 pound if omitting the roasting step.
One summer day, Jeffrey and I headed to Little Odessa in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. We were visiting our business partner Jackies ninety-two-year-old Russian-born great-aunt, Lilya. She had immigrated to Brighton Beach from the Soviet Union in 1989. Lilya was known for her borscht, and she invited us to spend time with her while she salted and seasoned three varieties of the soup. At ninety-two, she was extraordinary, foisting shots of vodka on us and showering us with words of wisdom. We left Brighton Beach inspired and feeling lucky to have met her. She passed away a couple of years later. We developed this recipe with her in mind. This beet borscht is perfect served chilled on summer days or served hot in the colder months. The ideal borscht, writes Aleksandar Hemon in the New Yorker of his Bosnian family traditions, contains everything and it can be refrigerated and reheated in perpetuity, always better the next day The crucial ingredient is a large, hungry family, surviving together. Jeffrey thinks that this recipe should utilize rossel (the brine from fermented beets, otherwise known as beet kvass) instead of vinegar to add tang, since traditionally borschts coveted sour flavor was cultivated by first fermenting the beets. But I disagree. I like the flavor that vinegar adds, even if it isnt as Old World. This recipe uses vinegar (I won!), but if youd like to be more old school and first wait a week to ferment your beets, follow the Beet and Ginger Kvass recipe but omit the ginger. And while this recipe calls for roasting beets and adding them to the soup, it also tastes great without roasted beets. Just cut the beet amount to 1 pound if omitting the roasting step.
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 leaves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- 2 pounds whole beets scrubbed but unpeeled
- 2 carrots unpeeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 stalks with leaves coarsely chopped
- 2 medium onions: 1 quartered 1 diced
- 5 garlic cloves: 2 left whole 3 minced
- 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
- 9 cups cold water
- sour cream storebought or homemade, or crã¨me fraã®che, for garnish
- chopped fresh dill for garnish
- Carbohydrate 101.702731147747 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 7.79275906129027 g
- Fiber 19.9017347282855 g
- Protein 12.2535730635012 g
- Saturated Fat 0.865329880077939 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (3229g)
- Sodium 8119.8824619147 mg
- Sugar 81.8009964194613 g
- Trans Fat 0.79208371768368 g
- Calories 518 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wrap 1 pound of the beets individually in aluminum foil and set on a baking sheet. Roast until they can be easily pierced with a fork, 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the beets (larger beets take longer). The skin should peel off easily under cold running water. Dice the beets into bite-size pieces and refrigerate until serving.
- While the beets are roasting, in a large soup pot, combine the remaining 1 pound beets, the carrots, celery, quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, caraway seeds, and 9 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from the heat.
- Fill a large bowl with water and ice. Remove the boiled beets from the pot and place them in the ice-water bath. When cool, peel and coarsely chop them. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding the solids.
- Rinse and dry the soup pot and set it over medium heat. Add the olive oil and diced onion and sauté until the onion is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes more, until the onion begins to turn golden. Add the beet broth and coarsely chopped boiled beets to the pot and simmer over low heat, covered, for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender. (Alternatively, transfer it in small batches to a standing blender and puree—just be careful!) Add the honey and vinegar and simmer over very low heat for 5 minutes.
- If serving hot, place 2 tablespoons of diced roasted beets in the bottom of each bowl and then ladle the hot soup over them. Garnish with sour cream and chopped fresh dill. If serving chilled, remove from the heat and let the soup cool completely and then refrigerate overnight. Be sure to stir the soup well and taste immediately before serving. Once cooled, many soups require a touch more salt. If necessary, add more salt, a teaspoon at a time. As with hot borscht, place 2 tablespoons of the roasted beets at the bottom of the bowl and ladle the soup on top. Serve garnished with sour cream and chopped fresh dill.
Lilya's Legacy: A Beet Borscht Story
The scent of simmering beets and earthy spices still takes me back to that humid summer day in Brighton Beach. We were there to meet Lilya, my business partner Jackie’s great-aunt, a vibrant ninety-two-year-old woman who had emigrated from the Soviet Union. Her borscht was legendary, a family secret passed down through generations, and she graciously invited us to watch her create her culinary masterpiece. The kitchen was a whirlwind of activity – beets being scrubbed, onions being chopped, garlic cloves releasing their pungent aroma. Amidst the controlled chaos, Lilya shared stories of her life, her wit as sharp as the caraway seeds she sprinkled into the pot. She poured us vodka shots, her laughter echoing through the small apartment, and imparted words of wisdom that continue to resonate with me today. Sadly, Lilya is no longer with us, but the memory of that afternoon, the warmth of her hospitality, and the rich, unforgettable taste of her borscht remain.
This recipe, a tribute to Lilya's enduring spirit, is our attempt to capture the essence of her borscht. It's a versatile soup, perfect for a sweltering summer day served chilled or warming your soul on a cold winter evening. The vibrant color alone is captivating, a testament to the earthiness of the beets. And just like Lilya herself, the flavors deepen and become more complex with time – it's even better the next day! Jeffrey, ever the traditionalist, advocates for using beet kvass instead of vinegar for a truly authentic sour tang. While I appreciate his Old World approach, I prefer the bright, crisp flavor that the vinegar adds, a little modern twist on a classic recipe. Ultimately, this is your borscht. Feel free to experiment, to adjust the flavors, to make it your own.
More than just a recipe, this borscht is a story, a recipe handed down through generations, a legacy of resilience and family. The rich, deep color of the soup mirrors the depth of the stories and traditions it embodies. Each sip is a trip back to that small apartment in Brighton Beach, a reminder of the unforgettable encounter with Lilya, a testament to the enduring power of food to connect us across generations and cultures. It's a reminder that the simplest of ingredients, when cooked with love and intention, can create something truly extraordinary. It is a comfort, a celebration, and a legacy, all simmered together in a single pot. The best part is, it gets even better the next day, just like Lilya’s stories and her warm embrace. So, gather your ingredients, embrace the process, and let the flavors transport you to a sun-drenched afternoon in Little Odessa. May this recipe bring you as much joy as it brings me.
This borscht is not just a soup; it's a story of immigration, family, and the enduring power of food to bring people together. More than that, it's a personal journey, a testament to the beauty of simple ingredients transformed by love and careful attention. The rich, earthy flavors, the vibrant color, the contrasting textures – it all speaks to the heart of the dish, a soulful and satisfying soup that embodies warmth, comfort, and love. Each bowl is not merely a serving of borscht, but a slice of Lilya's legacy. And like Lilya herself, it's meant to be shared, savored, and remembered.
