4 Large; fresh beets, (3"
-diameter)
4 c Water
2 ts Sugar; honey, or orange
-juice concentrate
1 ts Salt; (or more to taste)
2 c Buttermilk
1 md Cucumber
1 tb Fresh dill; chopped, (or 1/2
-ts dried dill)
Fresh black pepper
1/2 c Scallions; very finely
-minced
1 md Dill pickle; finly minced,
-(optional)
Takes 45 minutes to prepare plus about 2-1/2 hours, minimum, to chill.
Peel the beets and quarter them. Place in a saucepan with the water
and salt, and cook, covered, for 15 minutes over medium heat. Cool
the beets until handle--able. Remove them with a slotted spoon,
coarsely grate them, and return them to the cooking water. Add all
remaining ingredients, except buttermilk. Mix well. Chill until very
cold.
Whisk the buttermilk in before serving. Beet borscht is traditionally
garnished with a spoonful of sour cream. Other condiments are chunks
of cold boiled potato and chopped hard-cooked egg.
