Bake the Beets
Step1
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Step2
Trim tops off beets, leaving 1 inch of stalk. Reserve the beet tops. Wash, scrub and towel off beets, but do not peel them.
Step3
Place the beets in a small glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
Step4
Remove baked beets from the oven. Allow them to cool enough to be handled.
Step5
Peel off jackets and cut off tips and remaining stalks.
Step6
Grate the cooked beets in the food processor or by hand.
Step7
Place 1/2 cup of the beets in the refrigerator. (You'll add these when the soup is chilled.) Set aside the rest to cook with the soup.
Make the Soup
Step1
In a large nonstick stock pot, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add the grated onion, 1 tsp. pressed garlic, cabbage, carrots, tarragon and bay leaf.
Step2
Sauté for 3 minutes and remove the bay leaf. Mix in the matzoh meal.
Step3
Add the broth, balsamic vinegar, the larger volume of beets, and salt and pepper to taste.
Step4
Cover and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for 2 minutes. Shut off heat. Remove cover and cool.
Step5
Replace cover and place borscht in the refrigerator to chill completely.
Step6
Before serving, wash reserved beet tops. Dry them with a towel and chop them into bite-size pieces.
Step7
Heat the rest of the olive oil in medium-size, nonstick skillet over a medium flame. Add the remaining garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
Step8
Add beet tops and sauté for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove beet tops from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Step9
To serve, place chilled borscht in large chilled bowls.
Step10
If you prepared the borscht with a vegetable broth, garnish with cooked beet tops, a dollop sour cream or yogurt and a sprinkling of chilled, grated beets. If you used beef broth, omit the sour cream or yogurt.
Comments
lindamvaitkus said
on 9/28/2007 I plan to publish a recipe for Salta Barsta (SHALTA BARSHTA that I learned from a relative in Lithuania in 1994. I will share it with this forum next week!