Beetroot Borscht Preparation for Winter

It is very simple: cook a broth with meat and potatoes (40–60 minutes), add one half-litre jar of the preparation per 3–4 litres of borscht, simmer for 5–7 minutes, and the borscht is ready. There is no need to chop, grate or sauté vegetables in winter. It also works for beetroot soups, cold borscht and as a base for other soups. You can serve it as a stand-alone snack with bread. For a lean version, use it without meat, with vegetable broth only. For a premium borscht, use the preparation together with home-made meat patties. You can also use the preparation as stewed vegetables (without the soup), to go with meat or potatoes.

Ideally, dark burgundy table beetroot without white rings on the cut. Popular varieties include Bordo 237, Cylindra, Nesravnennaya A-463 and Detroit. A size of 200–300 g is best (large ones are fibrous, small ones have little flesh). Fresh beetroot is firm, without dents or rot. The seed brands Gavrish, Aelita and Poisk are good quality. Do not use fodder beetroot (pale) or overgrown beetroot (with white rings, which is woody). Young beetroot (250–350 g) is the premium option. Before grating, wash it and clean off any soil. Grate it on a coarse grater for the right borscht texture.

In sealed jars at any temperature, up to 1 year (on the author's advice). In a cool cellar, up to 2 years. Once opened, 5–7 days in the fridge. Do not store it in the sun, or the colour will fade. If the lid bulges, do not open it – throw it away (bacteria). Write the canning date on the jars. Use small 0.5 L jars – they are more convenient (one jar makes one pot of borscht). Do not freeze it, as the jars will burst. It is best used within the first 6 months, when the aroma is brighter. A preparation made with young summer vegetables is tastier than a lazy winter one.

The classics: with sour cream (thick), fresh garlic, black bread and garlic pampushki. With a bowl of thick sour cream and herbs. With a shot of cold vodka, the Ukrainian way of serving. With a fresh vegetable salad. With Borodinsky or rye bread. For a family dinner, it is a must. With a glass of red semi-sweet wine (Kagor), a rare pairing. With pelmeni or vareniki, a winter meal. For a lean version, without sour cream, with vegetable oil. With a garlic sauce made from sour cream and garlic. A universal dressing for Russian-Ukrainian borscht.