Polish-style Cold Beet Soup (Chłodnik Litewski)

Ingredients

• 2 bunches young beets with greens (approx. 1.3 lb, 600 g), (see notes for subs)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cucumbers (160-200 g total), dimply ones e.g. kirbys
• 1/2 bunch fresh dill (approx. 1 oz, 28 g)
• 1/2 bunch fresh chives (approx. 1 oz, 28 g)
• 2 cup (500 ml) soured milk, chilled (see notes for subs)
• 1 cup (250 ml) sour cream, chilled
• pinch of fine sugar, for seasoning
• 3 pinches of salt, for seasoning
• 2 pinches of ground black pepper, for seasoning
• 2-3 tbsp of beet zakwas/kvass, optional (see notes)
• 3-6 boiled eggs
• 4-5 radishes, to garnish
• crayfish tails, peeled and fried on butter (see notes)
• chicken/veal roast leftovers, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Thoroughly wash the beets with their greens under...: Thoroughly wash the beets with their greens under cold running water.

2. 2

   Cut off all the beetroots.

3. 3

   [it’s worth wearing kitchen gloves for this task]...: [it’s worth wearing kitchen gloves for this task] Gently shake off excess water from leaves and stems. Chop them with a knife into pieces, roughly 0.6 in /1.5cm long. Leave them aside in a separate bowl.

4. 4

   Without peeling the beetroots, chop them into larger...: Without peeling the beetroots, chop them into larger pieces - if they’re small, you can leave them whole.

5. 5

   Place the beetroots into a casserole dish with...: Place the beetroots into a casserole dish with a lid. If you don’t have one, wrap the beets into aluminum foil and just place them on a baking tray.

6. 6

   Bake for 40 minutes at 390°F (200°C). You...: Bake for 40 minutes at 390°F (200°C). You can start straight away, there’s no need to preheat the oven. PRO TIP: You can bake a cake or roast some potatoes at the same time!

7. 7

   [As the beetroots bake] Move the chopped greens...: [As the beetroots bake] Move the chopped greens into a cooking pot, add in just enough water to nearly cover them one-third of the way. Add in a tablespoon of lemon juice and braise on medium heat, stirring frequently, for 6-8 minutes. We want them to soften and release their juices.

8. 8

   Hard-boil the eggs (I’ll link a good ‘how-to’...: Hard-boil the eggs (I’ll link a good ‘how-to’ guide in the notes), leave them to cool, then gently peel and set aside.

9. 9

   Peel the cucumbers, chop finely into small cubes,...: Peel the cucumbers, chop finely into small cubes, season with a generous pinch of salt. Leave them to drain on the sieve (over a bowl) for 15 minutes or so. That way the salt will draw out the excess water from the cukes.

10. 10

    Chop the herbs (dill and chives) finely and...: Chop the herbs (dill and chives) finely and set them aside.

11. 11

    When the baking time is up, poke a...: When the baking time is up, poke a piece of beetroot with a fork. If it’s still a bit firm, bake further for another 5-10 minutes. When beets cool down, peel them and chop them finely into small cubes.

12. 12

    Pour soured milk and sour cream into a...: Pour soured milk and sour cream into a tall cooking pot. Beat them together with a whisk until clear bubbles appear. Add in braised beet greens, baked beetroots, chopped cucumber and chopped herbs. Combine with a spoon.

13. 13

    Have a taste, then season with a generous...: Have a taste, then season with a generous pinch of sugar, salt and ground black pepper. Have a taste again. Does it need more seasoning? If so, add some more. I enjoy adding 2 or 3 tablespoons of beet zakwas/kvass at this stage, but that’s totally optional.

14. 14

    It is best to put the soup in...: It is best to put the soup in the fridge to chill, but if you’ve used cold milk and cream, ‘ch?odnik’ can be served straight away.

15. 15

    [optional] Place chopped roast leftovers at the bottom...: [optional] Place chopped roast leftovers at the bottom of each bowl/soup plate (if serving with meat), and pour the soup in.

16. 16

    Garnish with halved or quartered boiled eggs, sliced...: Garnish with halved or quartered boiled eggs, sliced radishes, butter-fried crayfish tails and more herbs.