Bob's Borscht

I'm currently reading The Jungle Effect. This book is a lot like the last book I read (Eating Wild) in terms of delivery and trying to get the most nutrition out of food. One of the main things it has taught me so far is just how divergent recipes we feel are traditional are from their ancestral versions.

One example cited is Borscht, a traditional european recipe of slowly simmered beets. Many modern recipes call things our ancestors wouldn't recognize: candied beets (and their juice), high sodium chicken stock, ketchup, bleached white bread, etc.. When you take something that generations have lived and thrived on, and manipulate it with products of the processed food era, bad things can happen - ie western disease, weight gain, not to mention generations of grandparents who are likely rolling over in their graves.

So...  I had a bunch of bryson farms beets building up in my fridge, so what better time to try my own "pure" borscht. Nothing too processed, all mostly natural. I borrowed heavily from a variety of recipes on the internet, so can't take all the credit.

Bob's Borscht

  • 6 medium sized beets (i used gold+white beets, but red are likely better color, and better for you), peeled of rough parts, matchsticked
  • 3 small potatoes (i used sweet), chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
  • 4 small carrots, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
  • 4 small white turnips (greens too if you have them)
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 big cloves of garlic, pressed and rested for 10 minutes
  • 4 large leaves of cabbage, slivered into shreds
  • 4-6 greens from the beets or turnips
  • 1tbs turmeric
  • 1tsp paprika
  • any other herbs you like, dill would be ideal (i had none)
  • Lots of ground black pepper
  • Salt to taste - i didn't use much
  • 10 cups water
  • Thick greek yogurt (for dolluping)
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. In a large dutch oven heat the oil, and saute the onion for 3 or 4 min
  2. Add the garlic, carrot, beets, spices, pepper, and a bit of salt and saute for a few more minutes
  3. Add the turnips, sweet potatos and the water
  4. Bring to boil, and when its there bring it way down and let simmer for 30 min to an hour
  5. Add the cabbage and beet/turnip greens (if you have them), and let stew for another 15 minutes
  6. Check for salt/pepper, season to taste
  7. Ladle into bowls, serve with a healthy dollup of yogurt