Borscht with White Sweet Potatoes, Leeks, CocoYo Probiotic Yogurt
Borscht is an eastern European sour soup with wide variations of colors, ingredients and textures. Some are deep red from beets, others are green from fresh herbs, white from fermented bread or potatoes, made with fish, meat, vegetables, smooth, chunky, hot, cold etc. The common denominator being the balance of sweet and sour.
The soup spans countries and religions, and almost every family and region have their own recipe. It's considered a traditional dish in both Ukraine and Russia. With hundreds of recipes online, and deep debates in the comments section, it was challenging to figure out which direction I wanted to go in. This version was the simplest, and made with very straightforward aromatics. Of course I made swaps for my clients (sweet potatoes instead of regular, coconut probiotic yogurt instead of sour cream or creme fraiche) but I think it's still pretty tasty.
Let me know if you make it, or if you have a version you love!
Borscht with White Sweet Potatoes, Leeks, CocoYo Probiotic Yogurt
.25 each large cabbage, thinly shredded (about 8 cups)
2 tablespoons garlic puree
s/p
2 each large sweet potato, cubed
1 tablespoon oregano, dried
1 cup CocoYo plain yogurt
2 teaspoons horseradish powder
.5 ounce dill chopped
.25 cup parsley, plus more for garnish
Directions
Step 1
Add the water, sausage and bay to a large pot. Boil, then reduce to a simmer for thirty minutes. Pour everything into a large bowl.
Step 2
In the now empty pot, heat the olive oil. Add the leeks, onion, cabbage, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss, cover, and let sweat for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 10 minutes more, or until everything has softened.
Step 3
Add the flavored water, sweet potatoes, oregano and a pinch of salt. Cook until the potatoes are for tender.
Step 4
Combine the yogurt, horseradish, one cup of cooked veggies and half a cup of the broth in a large glass. Blend with an immersion blender, then transfer back into the soup pot.
Step 5
Slice the sausage into 1" half moons, add to the soup and mix everything together. Simmer for fifteen more minutes, check seasoning, then serve with reserved fresh herbs.
