While the elusive snowmageddon didn't turn out as forecasted, the regular old snowstorm that took its place left the city looking pretty in white. I enjoyed waking up to a bright snowy day, and it occurred to me that it was the perfect backdrop for " Borscht, " the traditional Russian beet soup. My rendition is spiced up with cumin, ginger, and bay leaves. I also added apple, carrots, and red bell pepper. The liquid base is, of course, our very own BD&H bone broth. I served the soup with a sprinkling of fresh dill, micro greens, and a dollop of sheep's milk yogurt. It's a simple soup, but its crimson velvety look and feel sure have enough character to make it stand alone as a main dish; paired with a piece of crusty sourdough bread (if you're not afraid of gluten!), it's the perfect snowy weather meal!
Serves 4-6
1 tablespoon of butter (preferably grass-fed and cultured, raw if possible!)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 large beets, peeled and diced
2 carrots, diced
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
1 apple, cored and diced
1 thumb-size piece of ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, lightly toasted
1 bay leaf
6 cups of BD&H bone broth
Salt (Celtic sea salt or Himalayan Crystal salt, preferably) & Pepper
Garnishes
Fresh sprigs of dill
Sheep's or goat's milk yogurt
Micro greens or any green sprouts
In a heavy-bottom large pot, warm the oil and butter. Add the onion and allow it to soften a little. Add the rest of the vegetables, the ginger, cumin seeds, and bay leaf, and a couple of spoonfuls of the broth. Mix all the vegetables and aromatics thoroughly. Half-cover the pot, and allow the vegetables to soften. After about 10 minutes, add the broth to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Once the soup is cool enough to handle, blend most of the vegetables with some of the cooking liquid - use an immersion blender, a food processor, or a regular blender. Return the blended soup to the pot with the vegetables left behind. Mix well and turn the heat back on. Once the soup is warm, serve and garnish with a dollop of yogurt, and a sprinkling of dill and micro greens or green sprouts.