September is here (how did that happen?), kids are back in school, summer holidays are mostly over…..and there is, unfortunately, a possible little chill in the summer air announcing the coming of fall. Well days can be beautiful but evenings are definitely cooler.

So this would be a good time to start looking at some slightly hardier recipes. Eastern Europe is definitely a great source for such recipes. You can serve it hot (mostly Ukrainian and Russian) or cold (mostly Lithuanian Polish, Belarusian, Ukrainian and Russian).

Here is a recipe for Borscht Soup, a soup made mostly of beet. Its definitely got a fall feel to it but its bright color makes it lively.  Enjoy!

Borscht Soup

Ingredients

Splash of olive oil or pat of butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound of cubed or shredded beef. Leftover roast is perfect.
12 cups beef stock or broth
6 large beets, peeled and roughly chopped
1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream, chopped green onions or dill for garnish

Preparation

1. Heat oil or butter in soup pot on medium low heat. Add onions and salt, saute until onions are soft.

2. Add beef, cook for a few more minutes.

3. Add remaining ingredients except garnish. Bring to a boil, reduce and cook covered for about an hour.

4. If you prefer a cream texture for the borscht, you pass it through a blender.

5. Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkled with chopped green onions or chives. Do not stir the sour cream in, as makes a nice visual contrast to the rich color of the soup.

Vegetarians: omit the beef and use vegetable stock.

Check out more Eastern European recipes here:

• Ukranian Nalysnyky stuffed crepes
• Cherry Apricot Bulgarian Kompot
• Hungarian  cold sour cherry soup