Beet Greens Soup (Polish Botwinka Soup)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons frying oil
• 1.5 lbs (750g) potatoes, waxy variety
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 5 cups (1.3 liters) vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 large bunch young beets with their stems and leaves attached (or 2 small bunches)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml, 30-36%)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• a handful of dill
• 6 hard-boiled eggs (or more)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare all the ingredients: peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.5cm) cubes, cut the garlic into thin slices, chop the dill finely. The beets: roughly cut the leaves, cut the stems into thin slices, peel the beetroots (use gloves!), and cut into thin slices (larger beets need to be cut into four parts and then into slices).

2. 2

   Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat, when it's hot add the potatoes. Cook over high heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally (do not stir for the first minute), until the potatoes brown a little.

3. 3

   Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Add the broth and chopped beets (don't add the stems and leaves just yet). Bring to a boil, scrape all the browned bits and pieces of potatoes from the bottom of the pot with a spatula, and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the chopped stems, stir, bring to a boil, cook for another 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the beetroot leaves and cook the soup briefly, for about 1-2 minutes, just until the leaves are wilted.

7. 7

   Temper the cream: add the cream to a cup together with a few tablespoons of the soup, stir and add back to the pot.

8. 8

   Take the pot off the heat, add the chopped dill and season the soup with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

9. 9

   Serve with hard-boiled eggs.

10. 10

    Enjoy!