Recipe

A staple of eastern european peasants Ukraine, 17th century

Ladle down borscht, a hearty broth for even the harshest winter

Originating in Ukraine with particular popularity among Jewish communities from Poland, Ukraine and Western Russia, borscht is one of the most colourful and iconic meals of the region. Most commonly known as a beetroot based soup, which accounts for its bright red colour, the evolution of borscht is also the story of changing trends among the rural poor of Medieval to Early Modern Poland-lithuania and the Russian Empire.

Deriving from the Slavic word for hogweed – its primary ingredient prior to beetroot – this sour soup has gradually seen a large number of different root vegetables take the lead along with different types of meat stock. Beetroot arrived in the region in the mid-16th century and by the close of the 17th century, rural Ukrainians had made it a staple. Its versatility crossed boundaries and borscht could be made without meat for Passover and Lent.

Method

If using sausages, fry or grill until cooked through and slice, set aside. For extra points, fry the sausages in the pan you’ll be cooking everything else in so as to develop added flavour. Can also be replaced with pork belly or shredded pork. To keep it kosher make the borscht with beef or turkey sausages.

Melt butter in a high-sided pan (that will be able to hold the whole mixture later) on medium heat and add your aromatics, onion, celery and carrots. Cook for a few minutes until onion is translucent.

Add beetroot and potato to the pan. Mix everything together and fry for a few more minutes until you see the potatoes take on a little colour. Add the stock (veg or beef depending on whether you’re making a vegetarian version). Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring to make sure you’re picking up anything that happens to get stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Add the cabbage and the tin of chopped tomatoes, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes or until beetroot and potato are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the sausage/ meat to pan with about 10 minutes left to heat through thoroughly if you’re using any. Finally, before you serve, stir in the dill and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in soup bowls with a dollop of sour cream and perhaps some crusty rolls.