Beetroot soup with Tambov ham
6 servings
150 minutes
A connoisseur of Russian culinary antiquity, the chef of the Matryoshka restaurant Vlad Piskunov remains true to the classics. In his cold borscht, beets are present in three forms at once: in the form of beetroot broth, green tops and, the sweetest and youngest, in the form of diced garnish. Ginger, vinegar and lemon juice help maintain the balance of salty, sour and sweet. As a protein component, the chef chooses Tambov ham, a glorious Russian historical brand. However, replacing Tambov ham with a good carbonade or homemade boiled pork will not be considered cheating either. The main thing is to remove all the fat from the pork - it is frankly unnecessary in a cold soup.
1
Peel the beetroot (1 kg) and grate it on a coarse grater.
- Beetroot: 1 kg
2
Pour 3 liters of water over the beet and boil for 1 hour.
- Beetroot: 1 kg
3
At the end of cooking, add sliced ginger, remove the broth from heat, and let it cool at room temperature.
- Ginger: 30 g
4
Strain the cooled broth through a fine sieve, add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
5
Wash young beets (200 g) without peeling, and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for about 1 hour — the cooked beets should be easily pierced with a skewer.
- Baby beetroot: 200 g
6
Chop the beet greens' stems into small cubes, place them in a saucepan, add 100 ml of water, salt, and vinegar. Cook for 10 minutes until soft.
- Beet greens: 150 g
- 9% table vinegar: 1 tablespoon
7
Trim the fat from the ham. Cut the ham, cucumbers, radishes, and young beets into equal small cubes.
- Tambov-style cured ham: 200 g
- Cucumbers: 200 g
- Radish: 100 g
- Baby beetroot: 200 g
8
Add chopped green onions and dill, boiled beet greens stalks.
- Spring onion: 50 g
- Dill: 20 g
- Beet greens: 150 g
9
Pour all the chopped ingredients with beet broth. Serve with sour cream and half a boiled egg.
- Beetroot: 1 kg
- Sour cream 20% fat: 180 g
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces