Recipe: Ukrainian Clear Meatless Beet Soup (1980's)

In Ukrainian cuisine, borshch is a national dish. Its numerous adaptations have led to a plethora of forms. It may be a combination of many winter vegetables, with meat and sour cream, or it may be as simple as beet kvas with meat stock and shredded beets, garnished with mushroom dumplings, or just the broth from beets, kvas, and stock with vushka. There are regional disputes as to the most authentic form of borshch. This elegant version was popular in the Khyiv region in the 1830s.

UKRAINIAN CLEAR MEATLESS BEET SOUP

3 dried boletus or 1/2 pound chopped mushrooms
liquid from cooked mushrooms (optional)
2 pounds beets
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 turnip
2 celery ribs
2 medium onions
1 bay leaf
3-4 peppercorns
4 cups beet kvas; OR 1 teaspoon sour salt (crystalized citric acid found in drugstore) to 4 cups of water if not using kvas
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper or to taste
2 teaspoons fresh chopped dill

Soak boletus overnight. Cook in a little water until tender. Cool, reserve liquid, and chop fine.

Scrub beets and cut into quarters. Cover with water and cook over low heat until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. Cool and pour off liquid. Reserve beet liquid. Slip off peels. This may be done a day in advance.

Peel and cut up the other vegetables. Add bay leaf, peppercorns, and boletus or mushrooms to vegetables, with enough water to cover, and cook in a large non aluminum pot over low heat until tender. Strain beet liquid into vegetables.

Shred beets in a processor or on a medium grater, and add. Simmer for about 10 minutes. and strain into a large pot. To keep broth clear, do not press the vegetables. Add beet kvas, mushroom liquid, pepper, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn heat low. Taste; the flavor should be tart, mellow, and full. For more tartness, add fresh lemon juice or sour salt. Keeps well in refrigerator.

Reheat gently; do not overcook or the color will turn brown.

To serve, pour over 3 or 4 vushka, (little ear dumplings )in soup plates, and garnish with chopped dill.