Ingredients

• 6 tbsp. butter
• 3 medium onions, finely chopped (2 c.)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (1 tbsp.)
• 2 lbs. beets, coarsely grated (4 c. packed)
• 2 med. turnips, coarsely grated
• 1 celery root, coarsely grated
• 1 parsley root or parsnip, coarsely grated
• 4 med. tomatoes, coarsely chopped (4 c.)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. salt pepper
• 1/2 c. red wine vinegar
• 10 c. (2 1/2 quarts) beef stock
• 2 lb. head of green cabbage, cut into 2" squares and then shredded
• 1 lb. potatoes, in 2" squares
• 1 lb. polish sausage, in 1/2" slices, browned
• 1 med. raw beet, grated, with 3 tbsp. water
• 2 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. fresh dill

Preparation

In a 4 quart heavy dutch oven, melt butter and cook onions and garlic until slightly colored (8–10 minutes). Add the next nine ingredients (from beets to vinegar), and 2 c. of the beef stock. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then lower the heat and cook partially covered for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the remaining 8 c. of beef stock to a boil in a large soup pot. Add the cabbage and potatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost tender.

When the beet mixture has finished cooking, pour it into the veggies. Add sausage. Strain the water from the soaking beets and add it to the soup to brighten its color.

Serve with dill and sour cream.

Alternative: You can add some dill and bay leaves to the beet mixture, and then add browned stew meat when you add the sausage.

From an exchange student who lived with my grandparents, 1960s

Ingredients

Puree

• 1 pound cauliflower florets
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 8 ounce goat cheese

Beets

• 2 pounds beets
• 4 parts red wine vinegar
• 3 parts extra virgin olive oil

Carrots

• 1 pound carrots, shaved on a mandolin

Shallots

• 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Oil

• 2 parts canola oil
• 1 part cumin seeds

Preparation

Cauliflower: Simmer cauliflower in water with salt 10 minutes or until tender. Drain cauliflower and purée with the warm cream and goat cheese until smooth.

Beets: Preheat oven to 350F. Place beets in foil and roast 40 minutes or until tender. Cool, peel and cut into quarters. Combine vinegar and olive oil. Pour over beets. Marinate 2 hours.

Shallots: Slowly fry until golden brown, strain and salt

Cumin oil: Toast cumin seeds in a skillet until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Place in a blender with the oil, blend and strain. Toss with carrots.

To serve, arrange beets on top of cauliflower puree. Top with carrots and shallots.

Edible Nashville

Ingredients

• 6 medium beets with beet greens attached
• 2 large oranges
• 1 small sweet onion, cut through root end into thin wedges
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim greens from beets. Cut off and discard stems. Coarsely chop leaves and reserve. Wrap each beet in foil. Place beets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool. Peel beets, then cut each into 8 wedges. Place beets in medium bowl.

Cook beet greens in large saucepan of boiling water just until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Cool. Squeeze greens to remove excess moisture. Add greens to bowl with beets. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over another bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Add orange segments and onion to bowl with beet mixture. Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, and orange peel in small bowl to blend; add to beet mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Serve.

Bon Appetit, January 2004