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Ukrainian Beet Salad | Salat Vinagret

  Well, hello. Today we’re biting into a very pink salad. There’s not a lot of pink food I can think of besides strawberry ice cream. There’s certainly not a lot of savory pink food. Unless you live in Ukraine, where beets reign supreme. Beets are one of Ukraine’s most beloved root vegetables, and for good reason. They’re packed with fiber, vitamins A, B & C, magnesium, and iron. When they’re not mixed up in borsch, beets make their way into salad vinagret.  This salad is a vegan meal unto itself as it includes potatoes, carrots, peas, and sauerkraut. Some recipes swap the peas and sauerkraut for white beans and chopped pickles.   Salat Vinagret is funny, because there’s nothing vinegar about it. In fact, there’s no dressing added. The only “tang” comes from the sauerkraut, and the only seasoning from a bit of salt, pepper, and oil. Done and done.  The simplicity of this salad makes for a great summer supper, or autumn side dish (perhaps next to a few slices of pot roast). We …

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Swazi Salad | Slaai

Swaziland’s swooping slopes are dotted with crops; it is here that the Swazi grow the freshest produce, from sunshine yellow lemons, to buttery avocados. With farming of that caliber, it should come as no surprise that Swazi Salads are especially grand. This is not to say they are carefully composed salads. (Most things that are careful, aren’t nearly as delicious.) No, these are simple, heaped piles of chopped veggies. But you can get them on the side of even the most humble plate of beans, which counts for, well, everything. There’s no elaborate dressing, save, perhaps, a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh grated ginger. Croutons? Forget it. The crunch you seek comes from a handful of crushed peanuts and the crisp bite of a sharp radish. Feeling bold? Add minced hot peppers to that lemon juice. Fresher and brighter is the name of the game. So what’s in a Swazi Salad? Every time I looked up Swazi salads, I happened across some combination of avocado, lettuce, onion, and beets. Beets were everywhere: red heaped piles …

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Roast Beet Slaw with Spicy Horseradish

It may have happened when you were five. Or maybe, just maybe, not until today. Either way, this much I know for sure: there comes a time in every person’s life when they come face to face with the mighty beet. Some will cower or run away, while others – like the Lithuanians, will chow down with enthusiasm. In this traditional slaw, roasted beets blend with tear-inducing horseradish and vinegar…creating a spicy, sour accompaniment that goes particularly well with beef and fish. P.S. Start this recipe a day or two before you need it, to give the ingredients time to mingle. Ingredients: 3/4 lb beet(s) (or 1- 1 1/2 cup(s) roasted, grated beets) 1 cup grated horseradish (about 1 whole horseradish, peeled & grated) 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 1/2 cup water 10 peppercorns, cracked or coarse ground pepper sugar, to taste salt Method: While this recipe will work with any old red beet, it’s always better to find the most GIANT beet in the world. Look how this one dwarfts my loaf pan… it’s …

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Belarus’ Borscht Soup | Borshch

Serves 6 This soup is popular all over eastern Europe, specifically in the Ukraine. This version hails from Belarus where they add big chunks of potatoes. The longer it cooks, the happier this Borshch tastes. Ingredients: 1 large onion, chopped 1-2 large russet potatoes, as desired 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 2 beets, diced 2 carrots, sliced 2 turnips, diced 1/2 a green cabbage, sliced thinly 6 oz can of tomato paste 1 Tbsp sugar 2 Tbsp vinegar salt and pepper 32 oz beef stock water as needed sour cream, for garnish (optional, leave out for vegan) Method: 1. In a large pot, cook onion in vegetable oil until soft and slightly golden. Add the rest of the ingredients, except sour cream. Add water as needed to “cover” all the veggies. NOTE: I added the beets after the cabbage had some time to cook down, making room in the pot. 3. Bring to a low simmer and cook for at least an hour. I simmered mine for a couple of hours and the flavor was wonderful. Here it …

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