Botvinya in brine
4 servings
45 minutes
Recipe from Vlad Piskunov, chef of the restaurant "Matryoshka".
1
Thoroughly sort, wash, and dry the tops (of turnips, beets, carrots, or Swiss chard leaves).
- Beet tops: 200 g
2
Boil water in a large pot and add salt.
- Salt: to taste
3
Dip the greens in boiling water and leave for 1 minute.
- Beet tops: 200 g
4
Remove the weeds with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.
5
Chop the greens with a knife and place them in the blender bowl.
- Beet tops: 200 g
6
Add kvass and grind everything well to a nearly smooth puree.
- White kvass: 500 ml
7
Chop cucumbers (if the skin is tender and the cucumbers are young, you can leave it), onion and add to the soup along with sorrel.
- Cucumbers: 120 g
- Onion: 60 g
- Sorrel: 80 g
8
Add horseradish to the soup - grated or chopped root.
- Grated horseradish: to taste
9
Add brine from tomatoes or cucumbers.
- Cucumber pickle: 100 ml
10
You can blend the soup again into a puree or mix the mashed greens with chopped vegetables to leave some slightly rough pieces, making the soup's texture more interesting.
11
Taste and add salt if needed. If the soup is too thick, dilute it with kvass.
- White kvass: 500 ml
- Salt: to taste
12
Let the botvinya sit in the refrigerator for at least half an hour; it should cool well.
13
Pour the botvinya into plates, add diced boiled fish fillet to each, and serve immediately.
- Fish fillet: 350 g