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Favourite Vegetable Borscht Soup

This is a soup of many layers. Like the tale of the ‘stone soup’, little by little different ingredients are added to the pot. And with each new addition, I add a pinch of salt - a trick I learned during my chef cooking days to season in increments rather than all at once at the end of cooking. This results in the soup being seasoned from the inside out.  Dill is an essential ingredient in this soup. A fresh herb that isn’t always easy to find unless you have it in the garden (even then it doesn't always grow in abundance). Excess fresh dill can be chopped and frozen in a free-flow bag. Or use dried dill, I am not usually a fan of dried herbs beyond oregano, but used quite generously it can deliver the required flavour to the soup. Parsley can be used as a stand-in, but it doesn’t really compare in flavour. 
Servings 8
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 medium beetroot (400g)
  • 2 litres (8 cups) water or stock
  • Salt to season - 1-2 teaspoons
  • 4 medium potatoes (600g) - Agria is my top choice for this soup
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 1 ½ cups tomato passata (or use 400g can chopped tomatoes)
  • 2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, undrained (or use 3 cups cooked)
  • 3 cups shredded green cabbage
  • Large handful of fresh dill or parsley, chopped + extra for serving (or use 2-3 tsp dried dill)
  • Generous grind of black pepper
  • 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar (see recipe note below about adding sauerkraut)
  • sour cream to serve (optional)

Instructions

  • Peel the beetroot and chop roughly into 2-3cm chunks. Place into a large saucepan, add the water with a generous pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a simmer then cook for 20 minutes until the beetroot is just beginning to soften.
  • After this time, chop the potatoes into 3-4 large chunks and add to the pot along with another pinch of salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes begin to yield when prodded.
  • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the onion and grated carrot along with a pinch of salt. Saute gently for 8-10 minutes until beginning to caramelise. Add the passata or chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Add the carrot and tomato mixture to the soup pot. Followed by the cannellini beans, including liquid from the can or cooking water, and the shredded cabbage. And yes, add another pinch of salt. Continue to cook for a further 10-15 minutes until the cabbage is soft.
  • Stir through the chopped dill and season very generously with cracked black pepper - at least 1 teaspoon - the more the better. Add a splash of vinegar (or see the sauerkraut variation below) and extra salt to taste - this soup can take a lot of salt with all the vegetables and legumes to soak it up, so don’t hold back.
  • I recommend making this soup in advance so it can mingle for a few hours to let the flavours infuse - it is even better the next day.
  • Serve with toast, a sprinkle of chopped herbs and cracked pepper to taste. Dollop with sour cream or cultured cream (recipe in my latest cookbook) if you like.

Notes

*If you have sauerkraut on hand it can be used to replace 1 cup of the fresh cabbage and to add a touch of balancing sourness. You may not need the vinegar if using this option. Add the sauerkraut when serving as the beneficial bacteria can be destroyed by the high heat.