Farm Direct Coop Recipesor. . . what you can do with your share!

Borscht

(taken from the Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins)

• 6 medium beets, peeled
• 10 cups cold water
• juice of 3 lemons
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup dairy sour cream (garnish)
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (garnish)

1. Cut beets into halves.  Place them in a soup pot with the 10 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer partially covered until beets are tender, about 30-40 minutes.  Skim foam from cooking liquid as necessary.
2. Remove beets from cooking liquid with a slotted spoon and cool them to room temperature.  Grate the beets and return them to the cooking liquid, along with the lemon juice, sugar and salt.
3. Return to the stove and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let soup cool for 15 minutes.
4. Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl.  Gradually wisk 3 cups of the warm borscht into the eggs and milk.  Pour this mixture back into the remaining borscht slowly.
5. Cover the soup and refridgerate until very cold.  Taste and correct seasoning; the soup should be nicely balanced between sweet and sour.
6. Ladle into chilled soup bowls.  Garnish with sour cream and diced cucmber.  Serve immediately.

Yield: 8 or more portions.