Chilled Green Borscht

Name: Chilled Green Borscht
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Eastern European, Russian
Ingredients: 4 leeks; 2 onions, peeled; 2 carrots, broken into a few pieces; 4 ribs celery; 4 cloves garlic; 6 black peppercorns; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 4 tablespoons butter; 3 large leeks, about 2 ½ pounds; 4 large potatoes, cut in ½-inch dice; 3 golden beets, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice (about 3 cups); 1 pound fresh lima beans, shelled to make 1 cup; 3 zucchini, about 1 pound, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise in ¼-inch slices; 2 heads green-leaf lettuce, shredded; 2 cups sorrel; Greens from 3 beets, chopped; ¾ cup dill-pickle juice; ¼ cup fresh dill, minced; ¼ cup white vinegar; 2 tablespoons kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 ½ cups sour cream

By Molly O’Neill

Published August 22, 1998

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Rating: 4(7)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: Food; The Fat Of the Land

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Ingredients

Yield:16 servings

FOR THE STOCK

4 leeks
2 onions, peeled
2 carrots, broken into a few pieces
4 ribs celery
4 cloves garlic
6 black peppercorns
½ teaspoon kosher salt

FOR THE SOUP

4 tablespoons butter
3 large leeks, about 2 ½ pounds
4 large potatoes, cut in ½-inch dice
3 golden beets, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice (about 3 cups)
1 pound fresh lima beans, shelled to make 1 cup
3 zucchini, about 1 pound, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise in ¼-inch slices
2 heads green-leaf lettuce, shredded
2 cups sorrel
Greens from 3 beets, chopped
¾ cup dill-pickle juice
¼ cup fresh dill, minced
¼ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 ½ cups sour cream

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
For the stock, wash the leeks by trimming their ends, slicing them lengthwise in quarters and separating and rinsing each layer under cold water. Put them in a large pot along with the other ingredients, cover with 6 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 ½ hours, until only a ½ gallon of liquid remains. Remove from the heat, strain and discard the solids.
Step 2
For the soup, melt the butter in a large pan. Wash the leeks thoroughly; trim so only the white part remains; julienne and soften them in a large pot over medium-low heat, stirring, about 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beets and continue to cook, stirring, 5 minutes; then add the lima beans and cook 5 minutes more.
Step 3
Add the zucchini, lettuce, sorrel and beet greens, cover with the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add ½ cup of the pickle juice and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add ⅛ cup of the dill and cool in the refrigerator. Before serving, stir in the remaining ½ cup of pickle juice, the vinegar, salt, pepper and remaining dill. Serve chilled with a dollop of sour cream in each bowl. (The borscht can be made several days ahead.)