Polish vibrant ruby beetroot soup served clear or with uszka mushroom dumplings — the jewel of Polish Christmas Eve.
Barszcz czerwony (red borscht) is one of Poland's most beautiful dishes — a crystal-clear, deep ruby broth made from fermented or roasted beetroot with a sweet-sour balance that is startlingly delicious. On Christmas Eve (Wigilia) it is served as the first course with tiny uszka (mushroom and buckwheat dumplings) floating in it. The colour, flavour and elegance make it one of the great soups of European cooking.
Serves 6
Combine stock, beetroot, onion, garlic, allspice, bay leaves and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer gently 45 minutes. Do not boil hard — it dulls the colour.
Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a clean cloth. Press gently — don't force, or the soup will turn cloudy.
Add vinegar, lemon juice and sugar to taste. The barszcz should be sweet, sour and deeply flavoured in balance.
Reheat when ready to serve. Do not boil after adding vinegar — acid helps preserve the ruby colour.
Ladle into cups or bowls. Add uszka dumplings if serving for Christmas Eve. The colour should be a deep, clear ruby-red.
Never boil barszcz hard — gentle simmering preserves the vivid colour.
Add the vinegar and lemon at the end — cooking acid dulls the colour.
The quality of beetroot matters enormously; use the freshest, darkest beets you can find.
Serve hot in cups as a clear consommé at formal dinners.
Blend some of the strained beetroot back in for a thicker cream barszcz (barszcz kremowy).
Refrigerate for 4 days — the colour may deepen. Reheat very gently.
Barszcz has been eaten in Poland for centuries and is one of the defining dishes of Christmas Eve (Wigilia). It appears in Polish literature and poetry as a symbol of home. The clear version served with uszka is specific to Christmas tradition.
Boiling too hard or adding acid while cooking causes the pigments to degrade. Keep it to a gentle simmer and add vinegar only at the end.
Per serving · 6 servings total
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