Recipes Chilled Russian Borscht Be the first to rate & review! This luscious beet soup, served with a dollop of rich, tart sour cream and plenty of salady garnishes (cubed boiled potatoes, crunchy diced radishes, chopped hard-boiled eggs and fragrant, coarsely chopped dill), seems the very essence of Russian cooking: sustaining food that still carries hints of its homey peasant influences. Slideshow: More Chilled Soups By Anya von Bremzen Anya von Bremzen Anya von Bremzen is a three-time James Beard Award-winning author and food writer. She frequently contributes to Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Saveur, and AFAR. Anya has published eight acclaimed cookbooks, including Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking. She has taken readers on a culinary journey around the world through her writing.Experience: Moscow-born Anya von Bremzen was a concert pianist sidelined by a hand injury and looking for something to do. That something turned out to be her award-winning first cookbook, Please to the Table (1990), which launched her illustrious food writing career. She has taken readers around the world through her writing in magazines and cookbooks, from Russia, Turkey, and Spain to Latin America, Cuba, and Asia. In addition to winning three James Beard Awards, Anya was nominated six more times for her work. When she is not crisscrossing the globe on her many culinary adventures, Anya divides her time between New York and Istanbul.Education: Anya studied to be a concert pianist at The Juilliard School. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 31, 2017 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Matt Armedariz Total Time: 45 mins Yield: 6 to 8 Ingredients 2 pounds medium beets, peeled and quartered 11 cups water 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons cider vinegar Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 pound Kirby cucumbers—peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 cup finely diced radishes 4 scallions, thinly sliced 3 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped 1/4 cup coarsely chopped dill 1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley Sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving Directions In a large pot, cover the quartered beets with the water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beets to a plate. Coarsely shred the beets in a food processor. Return them to the pot and add the sugar, lemon juice and cider vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the soup until chilled, for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the potato cubes and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water. Pat dry and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the cucumbers, radishes, scallions, eggs, dill and parsley. Ladle the chilled borscht into bowls. Garnish with the vegetable and chopped egg mixture, top with a generous dollop of sour cream and serve. Make Ahead The borscht can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Prepare the garnishes just before serving. Suggested Pairing Borscht, especially when served cold, is delicious with a lightly earthy rosé, such as one from southern France. Rate it Print