Bowl of Green Borshch
(click to enlarge)

Green Borshch


Ukraine   -   Shchavleviy Borsch
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 10 cups
***
3 hrs
Yes		 A very popular Springtime soup in Ukraine. It is often made vegetarian, as this recipe is, but can include meats, usually pork or chicken.

9
6
1-2/3
4
1/4
1/4
1/3
3
6
3
3
1/2
1/3
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3
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ar
oz
oz
#
oz
c
c
c
T
c

T
T
t
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Onion
Carrots
Potatoes (1)
Sorrel (2)
Parsley
Dill
Scallions
Oil (3)
Stock, Vegie (4)  
Bay Leaves
Lemon Juice (2)
Salt
Pepper
-- Garnish
Eggs, hard.
-- Serve with
Sour Cream
DO AHEAD   -   (35 min)
  1. Prepare Vegetable Stock if not on hand. For non-vegetarian, Chicken Stock is often used.
  2. IF using:   Hard boil EGGS, shell, chill thoroughly. For best method see our recipe Boiling Eggs. Skip for Buffet Service.
PREP   -   (50 min)

  1. Quarter ONION lengthwise and slice crosswise thin .
  2. Peel CARROTS. Dice about 1/4 inch.
  3. Peel POTATOES and cut into about 3/4 inch chunks.
  4. Stem SORREL (or Spinach) and chop coarse.
  5. Remove PARSLEY leaves from stems an chop small. Remove thick stems from DILL and chop medium. Slice SCALLIONS about 1/4 inch long, white and green. Mix all. Measures are after chopping lightly packed.
  6. IF using Spinach, squeeze LEMON JUICE.
RUN - (1 hr)
  1. In a sauce pan (4 quart) heat Oil and stir in Onions. Fry stirring until softened and aromatic, then stir in Carrots and fry stirring for about 5 minutes. There should be no browning.
  2. Stir in Stock, Potatoes, and Bay Leaves. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn to a simmer for about 20 minutes or until Potatoes are tender.
  3. Stir in Sorrel (or Spinach) and Parsley mix. IF Spinach, stir in Lemon Juice. Bring back to a boil and turn off the heat. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper. Let rest a few minutes for flavors to blend.
  4. Prepare Eggs for garnish. Slice or chop as best for your serving style.
  5. Serve hot, Garnished with Egg, and with Sour Cream on the side. For Buffet Service I skip the Eggs.
NOTES:

  1. Potatoes:

      Use White Rose, Red, or similar potatoes that hold up to wet cooking. Shun Yukon Gold because they turn to mush with more than the minimum cooking time. For details see our Potatoes page.

  2. Sorrel:

      Sorrel is no longer much available in North America, so we usually substitute Spinach, but this requires adding Lemon Juice for tartness that would come from Sorrel. For 4 ounces of leaves so you will need at least a 7 ounce bunch, more if it has a lot of poor quality leaves. Be sure to float wash Spinach to remove sand and mud.

  3. Oil:

      In Ukraine the oil will almost always be Sunflower Seed Oil. I do not stock that because it because it goes rancid quickly, so I use Pure Olive Oil which is much more neutral in flavor than Virgin.

  4. Stock, Vegetable:

      For a general recipe see Vegetable Stock. For specific uses and ethnicities see Stocks, Broths & Simmered Meats.

  5. Comments:

      Some people say it "can't be Borshch without beets", but, though recipes vary, beets are never inclulded, but Ukrainians still call it "Borshch". Olia Hercules gets around this by using Beet Greens instead of Sorrel. This option also needs the Lemon Juice.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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