Borscht and Pickled Beets

How do you feel about beets? I love them, roasted, in a salad or boiled and buttered.

Today is Pickled Beet day for me. I found the recipe that I now use last year or the year before on Mennonite Girls Can Cook. It is a little different than the average recipe. Not so many spices. Sorry, you still have to peel them.

I always make sure I save enough fresh beets to make this wonderful Borscht. Serve it cold in the summer and hot in the winter.

Borscht
4-6 servings
print recipe

It is best made a day ahead. Serve it hot or cold topped with sour cream.

1 small red bell pepper, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced
3 cups peeled and cubed beets (about 3 large beets)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 1/2 quarts stock or water
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Salt Freshly ground pepper
Sour cream

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion slices and diced pepper. Saute', stirring over medium heat, just until the onions start to give of some liquid. Add the rest of the ingredients except the sour cream. Bring to a boil and then turn to a simmer. Cook until beets are tender.

Place in a blender or good processor, or use an immersion blender to process until the soup is smooth, but still has heft to it.