Bodacious Beet and Cabbage Soup

The last time I made borscht was during my university days. I can't remember what inspired me to make the soup but it tasted awful. Hubby claimed it was wonderful and ate the whole pot. We were newly married. Since that fateful pot of borscht I have never tried to make it again... until recently that is...

Last week, I opened the fridge and found cabbage and beets. Borscht came to mind, but the thought of making borscht made me nervous. I checked the internet for ideas. This needed to be a soup packed with flavour. The Ukrainian Red Borscht Soup on allrecipes.com became my source of inspiration. I chose to cook my soup in a slow cooker because it was a busy day. The smell was tantalizing but I remained cautious. Before serving the soup I had a taste to adjust the seasoning. It tasted pretty good. We had some guests unexpectedly drop in, my sister and brother.  To my surprise, the soup was a hit and I became a believer in borscht.

This soup uses many vegetables that are making their appearance at the farmers' market in the Fall: cabbage, carrots, potatoes and beets. Try to select the freshest ingredients you are able to get.

Bodacious Beet and Cabbage Soup
Serves 4 - 6 very hungry people

2 large fresh mild Italian sausages, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 Tbps. tomato paste
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 large carrots, grated
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 large beets, peeled and grated (grating beets by hand is messy business, check your face for beet juice before going out)
1/4 (large) or 1/2 (small) head of cabbage, thinly sliced
3 (or more) cups chicken stock
3 (or more) cups beef stock
salt and freshly ground pepper
sour cream to serve

Putting It Together:

You can cook this soup on a stove top or in a slow cooker. The choice it yours. The directions here are for a slow cooker but adapting the recipe to stove top shouldn't be difficult. 

1 - Start by heating up a frying pan on medium heat. Squeeze the sausage meat out of the casings into the pot. Break up the meat. Toss in the onions. Cook until meat it browned and onions are translucent. Toss in garlic and tomato paste. Stir until garlic smells fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add canned tomatoes. Let simmer for a few minutes. Add mixture to the slow cooker. Turn slow cooker on high.

2 - Add a splash of olive oil to pan and fry up grated carrot until slightly tender. Add some chicken stock to the pan and bring to a simmer, scraping off the bottom bits as you go. Toss the carrot and stock into the slow cooker.

3 - Add a splash of olive oil and fry grated beets and cabbage until cabbage starts to wilt. Add some beef stock and bring to a simmer, scraping off the bottom bits as you go. Toss the beets, cabbage and stock into the slow cooker.

4 - Toss cubed potatoes into the slow cooker. The slow cooker might be quite full, depending on the size of your cooker. Add the remaining stock until you like the consistency of the soup. You might need more than 6 cups of stock. Season with salt and pepper.

5 - Cook on high heat for 2 - 3 hours or low heat for longer... 4-6 hours? I've only cooked it on high heat so I'm not sure how long to cook it on low heat.

6 - Taste. Adjust seasoning. Serve with sour cream. Enjoy!