Ukrainian Borscht

Ingredients

• 3 red beetroots
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 3 yukon potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery ribs
• 1 onion
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 3 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 can white cannelini beans with their juice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 cup sour cream
• fresh dill

Method

Grate the beetroots raw and sauté them separately before adding liquid. This concentrates their flavour and colour — the heat breaks down cell walls and drives off moisture, intensifying the earthiness that defines the dish. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add the grated beetroots. Stir frequently for 10 minutes until they darken and release their liquid. You'll smell the shift — from raw, grassy notes to deeper, almost meaty sweetness. This is sauteing properly done: the Maillard reaction creating complexity.

Pour in the 8 cups of broth and 2 cups of water. Peel and slice the potatoes into rough chunks (holding them in cold water until needed prevents enzymatic browning), then add them to the pot along with the sliced carrots. These will need 12–15 minutes to soften completely — test by piercing with a fork; the potato should collapse without resistance. While they cook, prepare the aromatics: dice the onion, celery and bell pepper finely. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a separate frying pan over medium-high heat and add these vegetables. Sauté for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the edges of the pepper begin to catch colour. The celery and onion release their sugars; you're after a light golden caramelisation, not brown char.

Add the ketchup to the aromatic pan and stir continuously for 30 seconds — this brief heat distributes the tomato paste's umami evenly and removes the raw vinegar bite. Tip the entire contents into the simmering pot along with the tomato sauce, bay leaves, and crushed garlic clove. Add the canned beans and their liquid; the starch thickens the broth slightly and adds body. Simmer gently for a further 2–3 minutes until everything is in equilibrium — the vegetables fully tender, the colour a deep magenta-burgundy.

Season carefully. Taste before adding salt; the ketchup and beans carry sodium. Finish with fresh dill stirred through the pot. Serve in deep bowls with a generous dollop of cold sour cream in the centre — the acidity and fat cut the earthiness and cool the soup to the right temperature. The cream marbles through as you stir, adding richness.