PHOENIX FARMS / AUSTIN
It is hard to believe that a vegetable I so loathed as a child is now among my favorites of all. Maybe it was because we used canned beets, or maybe it was just the crazy color and its association with canned cranberry sauce that frightened me, but I never loved a beet until I tried a fresh golden one in San Francisco, and now I am a convert. You can sub golden beets in this recipe for a change of hue.
SERVES 8 TO 10
1 pound medium beets, trimmed and peeled
2 medium onions
2 large carrots
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
½ head green cabbage, shredded
6 cups Vegetable Broth (here)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cups sour cream
2 bunches fresh chives, chopped
Working with one vegetable at a time, shred the beets, onions, and carrots on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor using the grating blade. Set aside 1 cup of the shredded beets.
Place a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and caraway seeds and heat until the oil is smoking. Add the beets, onions, and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the vegetables are soft and muted in color, about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook until wilted, 5 minutes, then add the broth and bring to a boil. Cook for 25 minutes, until all is soft, and check for seasoning. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or a food processor and puree until smooth.
Transfer the borscht to a large container, cover, and chill for 2 hours.
To serve, stir in the reserved 1 cup shredded beets and check the seasoning again—cold soup frequently needs more salt. Ladle the borscht into shallow, wide bowls. Crack fresh black pepper over the top, add a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with chopped chives.