Borsch for the people!

[lubitel]

Based on a wish from the camera and dinner thread I thought it was more apropriate to post this recipe in FSU forum for everyone to see. Goes well with Fed or Zorki and some good bread.

Please use your own judgement as far as amount of ingredients, I never measured them.

Boil a large pot of water, cut 2-3 beets (medium size) into small strips and throw them into boiling water. Let this slowly boil like that for 1 hour. (if you want to have borsch with beef, throw cubes of beef after 20-30 min of boiling.

While the pot is boiling:

Cut some potatoes into cubes

Cut about a 1/4 of a cabbage head into small strips

cut one onion into small squares.


When 1 hour is up (water will be redder than you've ever seen it) keep the pot boiling and throw in the potatoes, set the timer for 20 min.

after 5 min throw in the cabbage

after another 5 min throw in 1 can of tomato sauce (without the can)

now for the critical part: the "secret of the good borsch" according to my mom:

pour a few spoons of oil into a frying pan, and fry the cut onion. before it starts to get brown put in about 2-3 spoons of flour, mix it , fry until light, golden brown and put this mixture in borsch.

put in some salt, lots of pepper, any kind of spices you like (like oregano, etc.) and a little bit of sugar (1 tbsp).

when the timer rings, you are done!

 

[RML]

Mmmmm. Yummy!

I had some really good borsch in Mongolia in winter. And damn, is that good eatin' when it's freezing 30 below zero. 🙂

 

[lubitel]

Mongolia? wow. Didnt know they also make it there. Must be quite different. I once had some polish borsch at it was very different.

 

[pvdhaar]

Pardon my ignorance, but "beeds" (as in cut 2-3 beeds) doesn't turn up anything in the dictionary. What's that?

 

[lushd]

Thanks for the recipe - I am certainly going to try it. Can you recommend any accompaniments (breads, drinks) etc?

Also - how long do you have to boil a Zorki for so it's soft? (Sorry - couldn't resist!)

 

[pvdhaar]

Pardon my ignorance, but "beeds" (as in cut 2-3 beeds) doesn't turn up anything in the dictionary. What's that?

Guess I got it figured out; you mean red 'beets', don't you?

 

[RML]

Thanks for the recipe - I am certainly going to try it. Can you recommend any accompaniments (breads, drinks) etc?

For drinks: tea, or wodka. 🙂

For side dish: bread will always do. Not that slimey factory bread but real sour doe bread. In Mongolia we'll take some mantoo booz (rice bread buns).

 

[lubitel]

Damn! Of course I meant BEETS not beeds. thats what gives it its killer color! 😀

yeah, you gotta have some good bread with it! No softy-toast bread. boiled or fried potatoes always go well as a second dish. Actually whatever you want! In my family borsch is more of a first dish or appetizer, you probably won't be full after eating one bowl.

vodka is always good , especially when chasing it with pickles (pickled cucumber).

 

[w3rk5]

Mmmmm. Sounds tasty, and easy to make. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. I gotta give this a try. 🙂

 

[Damian]

Your Mom's secret ingredient is called a 'roux'. It will add body and thicken the soup. 🙂

 

[lubitel]

good to know it has a name. 🙂 thanks

 

[reagan]

"Also - how long do you have to boil a Zorki for so it's soft?"

😡 Blasphemer! 😡 You can NEVER make the Zorki soft!! The Peoples' camera will endure any boiling you choir boys can dream up!! Yah! They can!! You can leave the Zorki all the night in a bucket of boiling tanks! And they will still take the picture in the morning, they will... with one strap lug tied behind the back!

But what about your leedle girly Leicas whit their leedle preceezion gears and fancy curtains and all dat?? ehh? What about them?? Let's see how tough they are, you want to see? Put them in the boiling pot with your fancy vegatables and salts and oils... and see what happens to them! They will come out of the pot screaming like your sister, they will and turn soft and red like your beets there, I bet they will!! 😱

 

[dadsm3]

My Ukrainian version uses beef stock, and adds fresh dill and a drop of white vinegar. When served, add a dollop of sour cream. Served steaming in one of those huge tureens set in the middle of the table is a nice touch.
Serve with perohy and a good kielbasa, and maybe some of those pickled sweet red peppers stuffed with sauerkraut.....mmmmm!
Afterwards you can dress up like a Cossack and your wife can be an innocent Ukrainian farm girl and........nevermind. 😀

 

[jorisbens]

I will make a big pot of borsch next week so I'll have food for the rest of the week and I can spend my money on beer and film ;-)

Joris

 

[lushd]

😡 Blasphemer! 😡 You can NEVER make the Zorki soft!! The Peoples' camera will endure any boiling you choir boys can dream up!! Yah! They can!! You can leave the Zorki all the night in a bucket of boiling tanks! And they will still take the picture in the morning, they will... with one stap lug tied behind the back!

But what about your leedle girly Leicas whit their leedle preceezion gears and fancy curtains and all dat?? ehh? What about them?? Let's see how tough they are, you want to see? Put them in the boiling pot with your fancy vegatables and salts and oils... and see what happens to them! They will come out of the pot screaming like your sister, they will and turn soft and red like your beets there, I bet they will!! 😱

Marcy Merrill at Junk Store Cameras barbecued some of hers and they looked quite tasty. She wasn't brave enough to do it to a Zorki though. 😀 Must say I agree with everyone about plastic bread (only good for making light traps with). I think we're heading for a world where you can only get digital cameras and artificial bread.

What about a thread for Russian Cameras with Your Favourite Vodka?

 

[RML]

What about a thread for Russian Cameras with Your Favourite Vodka?

How about Mongolian vodka? 🙂

 

[lushd]

I had some Mongolian vodka once in Budapest. It came in a clear bottle with a metal cap like a beer bottle which couldn't be replaced once it was opened. It was powerful stuff!

 

[kvanderlaag]

I had some Mongolian vodka once in Budapest. It came in a clear bottle with a metal cap like a beer bottle which couldn't be replaced once it was opened. It was powerful stuff!

They can probably drink it in one sitting!

Maybe I'll make borscht tonight!

 

[lushd]

Lubitel - I am experimenting with this recipe on my long lost cousin Jennifer and her husband tomorrow. I will attempt a picture of the finished product alongside a suitably boiled Zorki!

 

[lushd]

Well - here it is folks and congratulations - great recipe! Went down a treat, thanks Lubitel.. Note Zorki 4k casually lounging on the worktop, next to half made frittata.