Remembrance Borscht

By Linda Garrettson

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of traveling from Beijing to Moscow on the Trans Siberian Railroad with my godson, Max. Fascinating glimpses of China and Mongolia sped past our window as we made our way to Moscow. Endless stretches of Siberian tundra, forests and Lake Baikal graced the landscape, awing us with Russia’s vastness, and the sense that everything here was big. 

This is where I learned that borscht means many things. Like the diversity of Russia, their signature dish had broad interpretations, as did the demeanor of our cook who concocted the recipes.

Our first steaming spoonful of borscht was earned after a long walk on the moving train to the dining car. That in itself was something to navigate. There was a good deal of tension between the cars as we tried to keep our footing and very little to hold on to. Like a savior, the Russian chef Irina appeared at our last crossing between cars, grabbed our hands, and pulled us into the safety of her kitchen. Immediately pot lids were lifted, and spoons full of soups and stews were displayed as she rattled on in Russian about the ingredients, none of which we understood. I got the idea that each pot was basically the same – they all started with beets and cabbage. 

Once we selected the pot we liked, Irina’s mood changed and she ordered us out of her kitchen. We sat down to await the meal wondering what all would be in our soup. I became adept at picking mystery meat out of the various versions of borscht over the next three days, but my godson thoroughly enjoyed the oxtails. 

East met west when the bill arrived, and Max firmly protested the amount. Irina dug her Russian heels in but she met her match with Max. On the third try, an agreement was struck. Despite her intimidating size, Irina limped away, with fair pay in hand.

Perhaps my fondest memory of that trip was of a Ukrainian cab driver I met at the train station in Moscow. Unlike the other, more aggressive cabbies, this one waited patiently until my godson returned from an errand before trying to commandeer our luggage into his vehicle.His station wagon was on its last legs. I could see the street through a hole in the floor, and there was a problem with idling that caused the vehicle to lurch and stall. By some miracle we made it to our Airbnb, but in the confusion of unloading, my backpack was left in the backseat. My passport, computer and money were in it.

I never want to travel without someone like Max. He had saved the cabbie’s phone number, so we were able to reach the driver quickly. Yes, he had found the backpack, but his car had died. He said he would take a train to bring the backpack to us, and told us where to meet him.  Forty-five minutes later he showed up, smiling from ear to ear, with the backpack. The most impressive thing was that he asked us to look carefully to make sure everything was there, and it was. One Ukrainian man, in one act of kindness and integrity, spoke greatly about an entire nation. I will never forget him7 

While researching recipes for borscht, and the difference between Russian and Ukrainian borscht, I discovered that the Ukrainian versions were more interesting and nutritious because they contained a better variety of vegetables. The flavors simmer together beautifully, creating a soup rich in nutrients and flavor. This simple version will get you started, but feel free to try tomatoes, celery root, parsnips, rutabaga, potatoes, or parsley. In a gesture to help keep their culture alive, I offer up this version of borscht and call it “Remembrance Borscht,” so we never forget.

Remembrance Borscht

Ingredients:

½ red onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 fresh red beets with their greens

2 cups red cabbage, chopped

3+ cups of low sodium vegetable broth or water

Several dashes of allspice

2 tbsp. of fresh dill, less if dried

½ tsp. paprika

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Cayenne pepper to your preferred level of heat

Method:

• Remove the beet greens and set aside. Steam the beets for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool, then remove the skins. Chop into bite sized pieces.

• Rinse the beet greens, remove the tough stems, and chop the leaves into 1” pieces.

• In a medium soup pot sauté the vegetables in ½ cup water or vegetable broth in this order: red onion, garlic, carrot, celery, beets, red cabbage, and beet greens, stirring after each addition. 

• Add the remaining water or vegetable broth.

• Add the allspice, cayenne, dill, paprika, and sea salt. Stir well to combine.

• Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or longer.

• Finish with 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar. Stir well and serve with tofu sour cream.

Tofu Sour Cream

Ingredients:

½ block of soft or silken tofu

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. sea salt

Method:

• Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. 

• Refrigerate.

Serve the hot borscht with a dollop of tofu sour cream and remember our courageous friends in the Ukraine. 

Serves 4