Karelian Borscht
Karelian Borscht

Winter is the perfect time of year for large kettles of hearty soups and stews. Bubbling on the stove, they fill a home with an earthy, smoky aroma that seems to proclaim, “There may be snow and cold outside but we’re warm in here.”

The country of Finland is known for snow and cold. I was fortunate to call this northern land home while an exchange student and hold its people – and its food – close to my heart.

This borscht comes from Karelia, a small piece of land along the Baltic Sea ceded by Finland during World War II to what was then the Soviet Union. The recipe is adapted from the classic of Finnish-American cooking, “The Finnish Cookbook” by Beatrice Ojakangas.

Some borscht recipes call for cooking the beets and other ingredients, then blending until smooth in a blender or food processor. In contrast, this recipe calls for cooking but not processing the beets so the end product has considerable texture.

If you don’t have access to or time for fresh beets, canned beets are a more-than-acceptable alternative. And if you’re watching calories, omit even the small ration of sausage and the sour cream. You won’t leave the table unsatisfied.

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. How do you work beets onto the menu? Share your recipe via e-mail.

KARELIAN BORSCHT

Active preparation time: 45 minutes
Total preparation time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
6 generous 1-cup servings
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 medium beets, peeled, grated (about 4 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 small red cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups)
  • 2 carrots, peeled, grated (about 1 cup)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 8 cups meat broth
  • 1/4 pound spicy sausage (such as andouille), optional
  • 4 tablespoons sour cream, optional

Heat butter in four-quart kettle. Add beets. Cook until soft and almost brown. Add salt, flour and vinegar. Add cabbage, carrots, bay leaf, garlic, sugar and broth. Simmer at least 2 hours. Add water if too much liquid evaporates. Close to serving time, cook sausage in boiling water until fully cooked. Drain and slice. Place soup in bowls and top with sausage and sour cream.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE With sausage & sour cream: Per Serving: 298 Cal (39% from Fat); 20g Protein; 13g Tot Fat; 6g Sat Fat; 26g Carb; 5g Fiber; 2347mg Sodium; 28mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 6 points

More Recipes for Hearty Soup

(click a photo for a recipe)
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My collection of soup recipes includes both hearty and light soups, ones perfect for supper meals and light lunches, hot soups for winter and cold soups for summer. Soup is ... super!
MY FAVORITE FINNISH COOKBOOK

Living in Finland, food and cooking helped me make - and find - a home and a family. When I left, my Finnish mother sent along a copy of the classic introduction to Finnish home cooking, The Finnish Cookbook by Beatrice Ojakangas. I still turn to it, often, and the recipes transport me back to a home in my heart.

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© Copyright 2004 Kitchen Parade

January 16, 2004 printme Page Permalink |email E-Mail this Recipe

Comments:

The soup has a lovely colour indeed! I keep coming across Ojakangas name - maybe it's time to buy one of her books after all:)

Good to know that Soup's On until Feb 28th - I might be able to make it after my trip!

2/16/2007
Anonymous Pille on 7/21/2007