“Will
the real Borstch please stand up!
By Franz Scheurer”
“Always
on the lookout for old cookbooks I found The Russian Cook Book {more likely found as The
Borzoi Cook Book} compiled and translated by Princess Alexandre Gagarine and published in London 1924. It’s a wonderful book giving you an insight into the Russian
psyche and some terrific recipes to book. I was particularly enchanted to learn all about Borstch, the famous beetroot soup
from Southern Russia.
“Real Russian Borstch’s most important ingredients are beetroot, kvass and sourovetz.
Every rural household in Russia (and many
suburban ones) will have kvass and sourovetz happily fermented away in their cellars. If we want to make authentic Borstch
then it will take a bit of work, but no doubt worth it.
“Here
is Princess Alexandre’s recipe (and I quote from the book):”
{ukraineorphans.net
is changing only the recipe presentation format to resemble the format we have been using – the content is word for
word, as Mr. Scheurer continues.}
“Beetroot Kvass for Making Borstch”
{Ingredients}
“5 large beetroots to 4 litres of water” {for
soup let one litre, liter, equal one quart}
{Instructions}
“Clean
wash and scrape beetroot. Cut into pieces. Fill wooden tub or barrel with alternate layers of cut and whole beetroots, well
washed. Pour in cold water so that no empty place remains. Seal tub and keep in cellar. The kvass will be ready for use in
two weeks. It can be kept the whole winter if the quantity of water is kept constant and any mildew that appears wiped or
skimmed off. The proportion is 5 large beetroots to 4 litres of water. This kvass is used only for cooking. (There is a recipe
for ‘drinking kvas’ in the book as well)”
“Sourovetz for Making Borstch”
{Ingredients}
“3
kg {kilogram} dry buckwheat bread {let one kg be two pounds}
2 lt {liters} water”
{Instructions}
“Put
the buckwheat bread into a wooden tub or barrel, pour over boiling water, and when water has cooled add 2 lt {liters} cold
water and ½ cake of brewers yeast, previously softened with ½ cup lukewarm water. Keep tub in kitchen or warm
pantry until the liquid begins to ferment; then remove to a cool cellar. Always add as much cold water to the tub as is taken
out. It will keep for several months.”
“Borstch”
{Ingredients}
“3 cups beetroot kvass
1 cup sourovetz
1 kg {kilogram} beef {let one kilogram be two pounds}
1 fowl
500g {grams} ribs of mutton {let 500 grams be one
pound}
4 large
beetroots
3 carrots
3 stalks of celery
Parsley and fennel leaves
1 cabbage
4 large potatoes
2 tomatoes
250g salted pork
1 tbs flour
1 egg yolk
1 large white onion
1/2 cup cream”
{Instructions}
“Take 3 cups of beetroot kvass, 1 cup sourovetz and mix 3 litres plain water, adding 4 teaspoons
salt. Put into sauce pan 1 kg beef, 1 trussed fowl, and place on fire.
When
it begins to boil remove skum and continue boiling until is quite tender.
Take
out, leaving beef in saucepan. Add 1 whole beetroot, 3 large chopped beetroots, 3 chopped carrots, 3 stalks celery and 3 sprigs
parsley.
When well cooked add 500g ribs of mutton.
One hour before using add a small young cabbage, cut into 6 or 8 parts,
and 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces.
Cut 250g of salt
pork into small pieces, put into a wooden mortar add 1 tbs flour, 1 onion and about a tablespoon fennel and parsley leaves
chopped fine. Pound with a wooden pestle until it is a smooth green paste.
Put
into sauce pan with the cooking borstch and boil until everything is well mixed.
When the cabbage and potatoes are tender add 2 fresh tomatoes, drained, seeded and cut into pieces.
Put in soup 1 egg yolk and 1/2 cup sour cream. Add Borstch gradually,
stirring constantly.
Cut fowl and mutton into pieces and put into
soup tureen. The beef should not get left in tureen (it usually goes for the servant’s dinner.)”
