Borscht with Dried Prunes and Mushroom Dumplings

October 18, 2015

Borscht is a soup that is very common in Eastern Europe cuisine. You can find various recipes, a chunky version, with cabbage and beans, served with a dollop of sour cream - my childhood nightmare; cold, summer borscht blended with buttermilk or kefir, eaten with hard boiled egg and sprinkled with chives; or a clear ruby broth served with mushroom dumplings - in my home served always during Christmas Eve dinner.

Now days you can find instant red borscht with all the condiments in every polish supermarket. It is great option for busy housewives, but there is nothing more satisfying than borscht made from scratch.

As a child I really didn't like that soup, I almost cried over my plate. But times have changed, and right now I would give so much to have a bowl of the ruby soup made by grandma. Probably today I would eat even a cactus if she gave it to me ; ) 

Franny was a wonderful woman...

NOTES :

- beetroot sour gives that wonderfully sweet and sour flavor to the borscht. It is made by covering pieces of raw beets with lukewarm parboiled water and allowing bacteria to ferment some of the sugars present in beets. It takes about a 1-3 weeks to make and it can be stored in the refrigerator for few months. You can find ready made beetroot sour in Easter European delis.
- Soak the mushroom in water over night. Place the dried mushroom in the medium bowl and cover with 2 l of water. 
- I used small bio beetroots in this recipe. I peeled them and boiled them in the salted water, and instead of vegetable stock I used the water I cooked beets in. 
- Some times I also add sliced fresh ginger and sumac to the borscht, but this is already my personal invention. 

Beetroot Sour

  • 1 kg raw beets
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 laurel leaf
  • 2 peppercorns
  • 3-4 cups lukewarm, parboiled water
  • large glass jar, or two smaller
  1. Peel and wash the beetroots. I recommend using plastic gloves and an apron for that dirty job.
  2. Cut the beets in large chunks and place them tightly in the jar, add garlic, laurel leaf and the peppercorns. Pour in the water mixed with salt to completely cover the beetroots.
  3. Place the lid on top of the jar and let it sit in the room temperature for minumum 1-3 weeks. You will sea foam forming on the surface of the water, that means the magic is happening.
  4. After the days have passed open the jar, clean the foam, and strain the liquid into clean glass bottle or a jar. It will keep for few months.

RECIPE

serves 6
  • 1 liter flavorful vegetarian stock
  • 3-4 large pieces dried mushrooms  
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 dried prunes
  • 1/4 sour apple, cut in large chunks
  • few springs fresh or 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
  • 250 g boiled or roasted beets
  • 1/4 cup beetroot sour * or 1 tbsp lemon juice (see notes)
  • 1 tbsp brandy (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Mushroom Dumplings

  • makes about 60 pcs

Wrappers

  • 300g wheat flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 200ml boiling water
  • 30g butter, melted


Filling

  • 55g dried forest mushroom * (see notes)
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped 
  • 1 garlic clove
  • salt 
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • vegetable oil for cooking
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METHOD

  1. Make the dough for dumplings. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the kneading attachment place the flour and salt. Mix the butter and hot water together and pour into bowl with the flour. Kneed the dough until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. 
  2. Make the borscht. Place the stock, dried mushrooms and garlic in a large pot, bring to boil, lower the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes.
  3. Add prunes, apple, marjoram and freshly ground black pepper, cook for 5 minutes. Cut the beetroots into thin sticks and add them to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Add brandy, beetroot sour or lemon juice and let it simmer for additional 2 minutes. Switch of the heat, cover the pot  with a lid and let is sit for 30 minutes. 
  5. Meanwhile make the filling for dumplings. Place the mushroom along with the water in the pot, bring to boil and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and set aside to cool. Don't throw away the water, you can use as a stock in a mushroom soup or risotto, it has a wonderful mushroom aroma and flavor.
  6. Sautee the onion until soft and tender, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a minute more.
  7. Finely chop the mushrooms, you can use blender if you like. Place them in the bowl along with the cooked onion and mix to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
  8. Now make the dumpling. Divide the dough in 2 equal parts and shape them into balls. Working with one ball at the time, roll out until dough is about 2mm thin, dusting your work surface with flour, to keep the dough from sticking to the table. Using a small round cookie or pastry cutter, cut out circles. Place about 1 teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each circle, fold in half, keeping the filling from moistening the edges, and press the two edges together, then connect the two side ends of the dumpling forming a "ring". Place ready dumplings into a dusted tray. Keep working with the rest of the dough circles and then move to the second ball, until you use all the filling.
  9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Droop about 10-15 dumplings (one at the time) into the water, stir gently with a wooden spoon. Bring to boil again and lower the heat to medium. Cook the dumplings for 1-2 minutes, until they float on the surface. Remove from the water using straining spoon. 
  10. Strain the borscht into a clean pot, heat it through on the medium - low heat, without bringing to a boil. Place few cooked dumplings onto a plate, pour over the hot soup and serve.

RECIPE

serves 6
  • 1 liter flavorful vegetarian stock
  • 3-4 large pieces dried mushrooms  
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 dried prunes
  • 1/4 sour apple, cut in large chunks
  • few springs fresh or 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
  • 250 g boiled or roasted beets
  • 1/4 cup beetroot sour * or 1 tbsp lemon juice (see notes)
  • 1 tbsp brandy (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Mushroom Dumplings

  • makes about 60 pcs

Wrappers

  • 300g wheat flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 200ml boiling water
  • 30g butter, melted


Filling

  • 55g dried forest mushroom * (see notes)
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped 
  • 1 garlic clove
  • salt 
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • vegetable oil for cooking
PRINT IT

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