Borscht Soup

Alright, folks. I have a few stories to share from the past weekend. But while I gather my thoughts on my quick trip to Washington DC that included 50,000 Boy Scouts, Julia Child, and snails (I'll explain soon, promise), I need a little sustenance. Something nourishing, something wholesome, something that says "Welcome Back!"

Ah yes. Borscht soup.

Here's a little lunch secret for any Bismarckians out there: Dan's Supermarket soup.

The soup menu changes, but borscht is the one constant that you will see on the menu everyday. It's good, it's hot, and it's cheap. Just like me. What. Wait. Did I say that?

For under $2, you can ladle yourself a bowl, digging to the bottom of the kettle to get the good veggie stuff instead of a bunch of broth. Grab a handful of free saltines and maybe splurge on a cheese stick for another 30 cents, and you've got a meal that has sustained me on many a hungry day.

But homemade borscht, with all the ingredients available RIGHT NOW at the farmers market (or in my dad's garden - thanks pa!)...well, Dan's borscht has some stiff competition.

Eastern European in origin, borscht is one of the few immigrant dishes remaining in the region that does not involve hefty doses of flour, butter, and/or meat; a bowl of deep red vegetable soup with a sweetness from the beets and the unmistakable flavor of dill underneath it all.

Borscht will always scream North Dakota for me. I could be in Abu Dhabi and if I were served a bowl of borscht, I would immediately be transported to the plains and prairies of my homeland, Star Trek "Beam Me Up Scotty" style.


Pretty tall order for a simple bowl of soup. But borscht is kinda amazing like that.

Borscht Soup
Adapted from Savoring the Seasons by Lucia Watson. Don't let the fact that it's summer keep you from making soup - borscht is great served cold, too. The traditional dollop of sour cream is optional in my mind, but dill is absolutely mandatory.

5 small beets, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
3 diced carrots
3 medium diced potatoes
1 peeled, diced onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Handful cut string beans
2 tablespoons fresh dill (or 2 tsp dried dill)
Sour cream for garnish

Toss the beets with salt and set aside to set the color; do not rinse them.

Melt butter in large deep saucepan and saute beets, potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic for 1 minute. Add lemon juice and enough water to just cover the veggies. Simmer at medium low heat until soft. Add string beans and simmer until just tender. Add herbs, season to taste with additional salt if needed, and serve hot or cold, garnished with sour cream.