An evening of learning how to make borscht. The real way. The Russian way. The *only* way.
Starring: Chef Anya, Sous-chef Simone and Inquisitive Onlooker/Photographer Little Ninja Chef.
And now, for the excited play-by-play recipe!
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- Let the borscht begin… Anya and Simone, grating and peeling, respectively
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- The broth: water, beef chunks and beef bones. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble…
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- The cook and her cabbage
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- Cabbage contemplation…
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- Cabbage is actually quite easy and fun to chop. Especially with the right knife.
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- Still life with greens, beets, wine and tureen.
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- Chef Anya making a three-part point about something, but mostly enjoying the wine (a fine Malbec from Argentina).
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- Wine break!
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- Peek-a-boo bone marrow from the cauldron
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- We are marrow bones, yes we are.
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- Exquisite marrow! Moëlle cooked to melt-in-mouth perfection. I added a touch of fleur de sel and chopped coriander. Yum!
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- Lovely bones… that could double as napkin rings.
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- Beets, b*tchez!
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- Introducing (clockwise from bottom-left): grated beets, cubed potatoes, chopped onion, shredded cabbage, grated carrot, tomato paste, sliced green onions, and chopped fresh dill
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- Sautée the onions in olive oil till a little browned
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- Carrots to the party
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- Half the beets are in!
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- Keep half the beets for the pot. They will dissipate in colour, whereas those in the pan will not.
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- Be generous with the olive oil
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- It’s tomato paste time (we used sauce, here, but one wants to use tomato paste diluted with a bit of water)
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- Check bin la belle couleur! If nothing else, cooking with jewelled colours like this is already fun enough!
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- When a paste is nicely formed, add it to our pot.
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- Just look at that gorgeous caramelization…
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- A turbulent sea… looks a bit like Jupiter
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- Adding fire to the fire-hued sea
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- Adding the cabbage, which you want to do closer to the end, in order to preserve a bit of the crunch.
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- Green onions and dill toss, keeping some extra dill aside for garnish
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- A lovely Russian-lebanese spread… (no, really)
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- Russian-lebanese spread, different view
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- Ladies and gentlemen, the borscht. Made perfect with a healthy dollop of sour cream and extra dill for pop.
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- And last but not least, to be enjoyed with vodka.
Little Ninja Chef 