Ukrainians live not only on the territory of modern Ukraine. Many of our countrymen temporarily or permanently reside in other countries, but this does not stop them from loving and cooking traditional Ukrainian borsch. Moreover, this authentic Ukrainian dish is so popular that people from all over the world try to cook it, and some recipes acquire unique features peculiar to one or another country.
Traditional recipe but different taste
Outside of Ukraine, the recipe and process of preparing Ukrainian borsch can differ. Firstly, not all countries have the necessary ingredients available. Finding the right beetroot for borsch or the usual sour cream can be a real challenge.
Secondly, the local culinary culture cannot but affect the result of home cooking. The method of cutting vegetables, cooking technology, and the order of adding products – all of this affect the final taste. But every version of borsch is no less delicious and deserves to be tasted. Let’s find out how this amazing Ukrainian dish is prepared in different countries.
Ukrainian borsch. Italian version
Italians are very fond of tomatoes and local herbs. Therefore, the taste of their borsch has a light Mediterranean twist.
Ingredients:
- 1 oxtail
- 4 tbsp of beef broth
- 1 bulb onion
- 1 beetroot
- 2 carrots
- 1/4 of head cabbage
- 5-6 tomatoes
- 50 g sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tbsp wine vinegar
- Italian herbs (thyme, rosemary, marjoram) – to taste
- salt, black pepper, dill – to taste
How Italians cook Ukrainian borsch
Boil the oxtail in a large amount of water with the addition of spices. Cool, strain, remove bones, and cut the meat into pieces.
Rinse vegetables (excluding bulb onion and cabbage) thoroughly, wrap in foil and bake until soft. Peel the cooked vegetables and cut them into cubes.
Peel fresh tomatoes and stew them in vegetable oil for 5 minutes. Add chopped bulb onion and shredded cabbage. Mix the mass and stew everything for 5 minutes more.
Combine chopped baked and stewed vegetables, spices, vinegar, meat, and meat broth brought to a boil beforehand. Cook everything for about 10 minutes. Before serving, add chopped fresh dill and sun-dried tomatoes to each plate.
Ukrainian borsch. English version
English cuisine has significantly changed the authentic borsch that is familiar to us. This soup in England actually becomes a puree.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg beetroots
- 450 g carrots
- 8 shallots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 celery stalk
- 2 l (liters) broth
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- salt, black pepper, bay leaf – to taste
How Englishmen cook Ukrainian borscht
Wash, peel, and coarsely chop root vegetables and a celery stalk.
Add vegetables and 1 tbsp of cumin seeds to the heated broth. Stir everything and bring the broth to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the pan, and simmer the broth for about 1 hour.
In 5 minutes before the end of cooking, put the bay leaf and the remaining 1 tbsp of cumin. Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf.
Beat the soup with a blender until smooth, and season it with salt and pepper. Serve borsch with cream and meat pies.
Ukrainian borsch. Spanish version
In Spain, a rather unusual ingredient is put into Ukrainian borsch. This is homemade pork sausage.
Ingredients:
- 500 g pork sausage
- 3 beetroots
- 3 carrots
- 3 potatoes
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 bulb onion
- 6 tomatoes
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt, black pepper, fresh parsley – to taste
How the Spanish cook Ukrainian borsch
Roast the sausage cut into rings over medium heat.
Boil 2 liters of water in a saucepan and add the sausage.
Add peeled and chopped beetroots to the broth. You should boil the beet until it gets a lighter color.
Add chopped carrots and potatoes. Cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Peel and rub tomatoes through a sieve. Add them to the pan a couple of minutes before the end of cooking.
Fry diced bulb onion and chopped garlic in vegetable oil, and add to the soup together with spices and salt. Stir the ingredients thoroughly. Sprinkle the finished dish with parsley.
Ukrainian borsch. New Zealand version
Another original version of soup puree. The unusual texture of the soup combined with the toasted baguette slices tastes incredible.
Ingredients:
- 5 beetroots
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 red onion
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- french baguette
- 2 tbsp dairy butter
- 2 bacon slices
- fresh thyme
How New Zealanders cook Ukrainian borsch
Peel beets, onions, and garlic. Chop them finely and fry in a pan in olive oil.
Cover the pan and simmer the ingredients for about 40 minutes. Then add 1 liter of water and bring the mass to a boil.
Put the cooled mass in a blender and beat it.
Add vinegar and seasonings to taste. Serve borsch with baguette toasts with dairy butter, bacon, and thyme.
New names for traditional Ukrainian borsch
If you open popular foreign websites with recipes, you will see many different names that people from all over the world use to call Ukrainian borsch. Among them, “thick stew of fried vegetables”, “beetroot sautéed with cream”, “beetroot soup” and so on. But whatever you call borsch, it remains to be borsch. And you can cook and enjoy both traditional beetroot soup and borsch with the addition of some specific ingredients peculiar to your country.
