Quick and Easy Borscht

Quick and Easy Borscht

Level of difficulty: easy
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

•6 medium beets plus tops and stems
•4 medium carrots peeled and grated
•1 medium bunch kale first 2” of stems trimmed off, the rest coarsely chopped
•1 lb. Italian sausage
• ½ can 28 oz. plum tomatoes (with juice) coarsely chopped
•2 cloves garlic crushed
•2 medium red onions, medium dice
•2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
•2 tsp. sugar
•2 bay leaves
•3 chopped dill fronds
•½ tsp caraway seeds
•Salt and pepper to taste
•3-4 cups water

Instructions:

•roast beets in foil for 40 mins. at 425, cool then peel and medium chop along with stems and leaves
•push sausage meat out of casing, pinching-off at ½” intervals to make little meatballs
•in a large soup pot heat 1 tsp. oil over medium heat, add sausage meatballs, turning to brown evenly
•to meatballs add onions, garlic, caraway seeds, dill and bay leaf, sauté briefly
•add rest of vegetables (except tomatoes), cover and steam/sauté briefly then add tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, juice and water; stir, cover loosely and simmer for approx. 1 hr., until flavours blend and vegetables are soft; add salt and pepper to taste

To serve: add juice of ½ lemon to soup in pot; garnish each serving with snip of fresh dill and a dollop of sour cream .
Accompany with liverwurst and sourdough rye bread or pumpernickel.

Complementary Wines: Beaujolais, Merlot, Valpolicella

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