Green Borscht (Ukrainian Sorrel Soup)

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, diced in small cubes
• 1 large carrot, diced in small cubes
• 2 medium potatoes, diced in large cubes
• 7 cups chicken stock (homemade or store bought)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups sorrel, thick stems removed, sliced in ½” pieces
• Salt, pepper to taste
• Garnish:
• Minced parsley, dill, chervil, chives (a mix of whatever is available)
• ½ of a hard-boiled egg per person, diced
• Sour cream

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a soup pot that would be large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients. When the butter is completely liquid, turn the heat to medium and add onions and carrots. Sauté, stirring from time to time, till the onions become transparent and lose their raw scent, about 5 minutes. The vegetables shouldn’t brown.
2. Add chicken stock all at once and once it comes to boil, skim the foam and add potatoes. Cook on medium heat till the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Add bay leaf and salt to taste. Add sorrel and watch it turn from bright emerald to khaki green. Add more salt if needed as well as freshly ground black pepper. When sorrel is soft—this should take about 7 minutes, add minced herbs and turn off the heat.
3. Serve green borsch garnished with more herbs, diced hard-boiled egg and sour cream. I love to have a slice of buttered rye bread on the side. In Russia, green borscht is usually served with vatrushki, small cheese filled pastries.

Notes