"The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious."
-Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume
Every time I work with beets this Tom Robbins quote passes through my brain. Its been years since I read Jitterbug Perfume yet I still refer to it as one of my favorite books. I think of Winter as the time of beet soups, roasted beets and pickled beets. This recipe can be made with or without the cashew sour cream, with regular sour cream, homemade vegetable stock, or chicken stock. I had a friend ask if she could substitute sweet potatoes for white potatoes and I think this would be delicious. One of the many beautiful things about borscht is that it is hard to mess it up! Try adding cabbage, parsnips or even some apples. Enjoy!
Savory Beet Borscht with Cashew Sour Cream
ingredients:
1 medium onion sliced into half moons
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons ghee (or olive oil)
2 medium carrots chopped
2 small potatoes chopped
4 medium sized beets chopped
1 turnip chopped
4 cups homemade vegetable or chicken stock
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons dried dill
salt and pepper to taste
preparation:
Heat ghee or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute’ until soft. Next add carrots, beets, potatoes, and turnips and sauté for 10-15 minutes until vegetables start to soften. Add broth and bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar, dill and salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with Cashew Sour Cream (optional)
Serves 5-6
Cashew Sour Cream
ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. If you do not have a Vitamix or other high speed blender, soak cashews in water for one hour before blending.
