Roasted Beet and Potato Borscht

Friends sometimes say that my kids are easy in the variety of things they will eat. And I’ve kind of brushed that off – after all, James doesn’t eat meat, which is not especially easy, and Milo ate no fruits or vegetables at all except broccoli, apples and bananas, for years.

But then there was soup night potluck. When we brought out the borscht ,and James told the neighbor kids, eagerly, “Borscht! This is soo good!” and filled his bowl, and they looked on in faint stupefaction before turning to their hamburgers. Purple soup, who can blame them? Maybe my kids are a little odd. 

But if you get past the purple, this really is one fine and delicious dish.

Borscht isn’t a family dish for either of us, so we’ve tried a few different recipes along the way. My grandmother made a borscht that was more like a cabbage and tomato soup. The version Tom made for soup fest has a lot of beet flavor, no cabbage, and vegetables that are roasted adding richness. That, and the beets, also make the soup kind of sweet. Not sweet like dessert, but sweet like roasted onions and beets. 

Also on the menu was creamy squash bisque and chicken and kale soup. Look at these colors!

Add a little crusty bread and a peach cobbler made with the last of the frozen Michigan peaches, and you have the perfect winter potluck.

Roasted Beet and Potato Borscht

6 medium red beets, scrubbed and peeled.

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 shallot (can substitute onion)

1 onion

½ tsp thyme

2 Tblsp. Olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

5 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Garnish: sour cream, parsley or chives

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Serves 4

Cut 5 of the beets into medium dice. Coarsely grate the other beet and put aside.

Toss diced beets and diced potatoes, shallot and onion with the oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheets. Sprinkle with thyme. Roast about 45 minutes.

Bring broth to a simmer in a large saucepan or stockpot. Add the vegetables. Mash about half of the soup with a potato masher or the back of a spoon. Add the vinegar, salt, pepper, and the grated beet. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add additional broth or water if needed. Taste and add more vinegar if needed.

Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream topped by the parsley or chives.