Barszcz Czerwony

About This Recipe

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.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgraw beetroot(peeled and grated)
• 1.5 litresvegetable stock
• 1 largeonion(halved)
• 4 clovesgarlic
• 2 tbspred wine vinegar
• 1 tspsugar
• 4allspice berries
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tbsplemon juice

Instructions

1. 1

   Make broth

   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.

2. 2

   Strain

   Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a clean cloth. Press gently — don't force, or the soup will turn cloudy.

3. 3

   Season

   Add vinegar, lemon juice and sugar to taste. The barszcz should be sweet, sour and deeply flavoured in balance.

4. 4

   Reheat gently

   Reheat when ready to serve. Do not boil after adding vinegar — acid helps preserve the ruby colour.

5. 5

   Serve

   Ladle into cups or bowls. Add uszka dumplings if serving for Christmas Eve. The colour should be a deep, clear ruby-red.

Variations

• •

  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).

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for 4 days — the colour may deepen. Reheat very gently.

Frequently Asked Questions