Recipe #48 - Borscht, Vegetarian-Style

Granted, most borscht recipes call for meat, bones and beef stock, but our version omits all that. We use a rich "purple stock" which is made with trimmings from "red" veggies such as red onion, red cabbage, and of course beets.

Makes eight servings.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 small red onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced2 red potatoes, diced
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
2 large or 4 small red beets, peeled and diced

4 cups purple veggie stock

Salt & pepper

1 cup light sour cream
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill

Heat the oil and butter in a large soup pan. Add the onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes over medium heat.

Add the cabbage, potatoes and beets. Saute for a few minutes more. Add the veggie stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Continue to simmer the soup until the potatoes and beets are soft and cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in wide soup bowls (preferably white to better show off the deep red color of the borscht). Whisk the dill into the sour cream. Add a large dollop of dilled sour cream to each bowl of soup and serve with hot bread and green salad.