Borscht, how I love thee...

I know it's not cool to say this, but I really love beets.  And I particularly love them in borscht.  They are sweet, earthy, and a great carrier for all things acidic and creamy. Beets are doing great in the garden right now, so you should find your own favorite recipe and make it over and over until your poop looks like you're going to die (just kidding, that will happen after just one bowl).

This is a hot borscht that's very fresh but hearty for cooler weather. This recipe is vegetarian, but you could pop some pre-made little meat balls in at the end of the cooking time, as well:


Ukrainian/ Russian Steppe Borscht

Serves 6-8

3 medium beets, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and shredded
3 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1/2 medium head cabbage, cored and shredded
1 (8 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream, for topping
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill for garnish

Fill a large pot halfway with water (about 2 quarts), and bring to a boil. Add the beets, and cook until they have lost their color. Add the carrots and potatoes, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the cabbage, and the can of diced tomatoes.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Stir in the tomato paste and water until well blended. Transfer to the pot. Add the raw garlic to the soup, cover and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Taste, and season with salt, and pepper.

Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with sour cream, if desired, and fresh dill.


If it's still hot where you live, this summery cold borscht (very Lithuanian) is just the thing:


Cold Borscht

Serves 4

2 pounds of beets (5-6 beets, depends on size)
1 cucumber
2-3 eggs
5 green onions
Small bunch of fresh green dill
2 quarts of kefir or buttermilk
About 2 quarts of cold water
3 tablespoons of sour cream
Salt and black pepper to taste

Boil the beets skin-on and cool them down to room temperature; also boil eggs till hard, cool then down too; rinse greens and cucumber. Once boiled beets are cooled down, skin them: take a big cooking pot and grate the boiled beets into it using the large slots of grater. Peel and dice the eggs and add them to the cooking pot. Dice the cucumber and add to the cooking pot. Chop the green onions and add to the cooking pot. Add finely chopped fresh dill. Add 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix everything; add all buttermilk or kefir. Add about the same amount of water (or more, to taste) and mix everything. Cover cooking pot with a lid and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Spicy Sweet and Sour Beets

We called them "Sweet and Sour" in the Midwest, but they're basically the same thing as Harvard Beets. The typical recipe isn't too hard, but boiling together a cornstarchy dressing is still too much of a pain on a hot summer day for my taste.  So, I came up with the laziest thing you can possibly do. You're welcome.

Spicy Sweet and Sour Beets

Serves 1 (me)-5 (people who don't like beets much and therefore shouldn't be trusted)

1 lb. beets, scrubbed and greens removed
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 tablespoon horseradish
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
Salt and black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients except beets in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil.  Cook the beets, skins on and cut into similar shapes, until tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain and rinse in cold water; the skins should skip right off (if not, help them along the way with your paring knife).  Cut the cooked beets into small cubes and add to the dressing.  Stir thoroughly until butter is melted, and chill or serve at room temperature. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.

To hell with your fancy-priced cocktails!

When Syntax Spirits first opened in my quiet, unassuming little town of Greeley, Colorado a few years ago, I was elated.  Craft vodka made by a kooky couple with a slightly cranky cat on the premises?  Yes, please.  But I soon became disenchanted with the clued-out space cadets they employed, and when I showed up one night only to find they were out of my favorite beet-dill infused vodka, I broke up with them in my mind forever.  That's when I realized, hell, I like to infuse vodkas! I hadn't thought of using beets, which I love, but now that I'd seen it existed, I could easily do it myself and avoid paying the $6 to a band of ill-informed college students with shitty customer service skills.  I think this version is better than anything I ever got at Syntax, and I can drink it all summer long without going broke...

The Beet Farmer

Serves 1

2 oz. beet infused vodka*
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 oz. triple sec
1 tablespoon sweet vermouth
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice; shake vigorously until the shaker is cold to the touch.  Strain into a martini glass and enjoy.

*For beet infused vodka, simply peel and roughly chop ½ cup beets per 750mL of vodka and add ¼ cup white sugar. Combine in an airtight container and allow to steep in a cool, dry place for one week, shaking every day or so when you think about it.  After that, you can remove the beets if you prefer and store in the freezer.

Russian Beet Salad

What can I say? I love beets!  I know that's not as common as saying, "I love chocolate" or "I love sports" or whatever, but they really are good.  And easy to grow.  Give 'em a try.

Russian Beet Salad

Serves 4

4 medium beets

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, smashed and minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cups thick plain yogurt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

handful fresh dill, chopped

Trim greens from beets and wash. Bring large pot of water to bowl and drop beets in; boil 25 minutes or until tender.  Allow to cool, remove skins and trim ends, and grate into a large bowl.  

In another bowl thoroughly combine all other ingredients and pour over grated beets.  Stir to combine and chill at least one hour. Serve cold.  

Beets, delicious beets!

I got back in touch with my Eastern European roots not long ago when I recorded an album of Eastern European flute and piano music.  Of course, for me that means eating.  And you know what?  I remembered that I love beets.  Do you think that's disgusting?  Well, you just don’t know how to appreciate them.  Here are some tips to lovin' the root vegetables that turn your poo blood-red.


1. Don’t buy them from a can.  You know how canned green beans and canned corn taste very little like their fresh counterparts?  Well, it’s true of all vegetables, dumbass.

2. Don’t buy they biggest ones in the store.  Size matters, but in this case, they are sweeter and more delicious when they’re a little bit smaller, rather than gigantic.  The big ones are either old from having been left in the ground for a while or just lacking in flavor.

3. Cook ‘em like this:


Nicole’s easy, delicious beet preparation

5-6 medium-size beets, with greens
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced (you can use less if you don’t love garlic)
4 cups fresh spinach
2 cups beef or vegetable broth
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon or horseradish mustard
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sour cream or Greek-style yogurt (optional)

Remove the beets from the greens, trim off the pointy roots on the end, and scrub clean.  Tightly wrap each beet in a square of foil, place all wrapped beets on a baking sheet or in a shallow baking dish, and bake in the oven at 450°F (no need to preheat) for 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim the greens off the stalks, clean, and tear into bite-size pieces.  Clean the spinach, too, and drain all the greens in a colander until you’re ready for them.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat; when the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrot.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and both veggies are soft, about 10 minutes.  At this point I usually throw in a pinch of salt.

Add the garlic, vinegar, and greens and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir the mustard into the beef broth and combine thoroughly.  Add broth to the pan, reduce heat to low, and cover.  Allow to cook gently for about 15 minutes.

When the beets are done, remove them from the oven and dump them, still foil-wrapped, into a sinkful of cold water.  This is to avoid burning yourself.  Unwrap each beet and remove the skin, which should almost slide off, with a pairing knife.  Chop beets (they should still be firm) into bite-size pieces and add to the greens that are cooking on the stove.  Stir to incorporate, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with pierogies (I love the easy recipe from Smitten Kitchen), steamed potatoes, or rice.   Top the whole mess with sour cream or yogurt if you like that (I do).

This kid loves her some beets.