Classic Beetroot Soup

Svekolnik, also known as holodnik, is a cold soup. It is famous in Lithuania, Poland, and Belarus, where it is made with kefir. What is the charm of svekolnik prepared according to the traditional recipe? It is prepared quickly and easily, requiring common summer ingredients. Moreover, this soup is served cold, which is a pleasant bonus on a hot summer day. First and foremost, let's prepare the beets for the future svekolnik. If you come across young beets with green leaves at the market, that's a real luck. The svekolnik will turn out amazing. But if not, just take what you have. I had 5 small beets, if you have large beets, you can do with three. Rinse and peel the beets well. Pour water over them, bring to a boil, and add red wine vinegar and sugar. Stir, lower the heat to a minimum, cover, and leave for 20-25 minutes. You can substitute red wine vinegar with regular vinegar (9%) or use the juice of one lemon instead.

Once the beets are cooked, remove them from the broth to cool faster. Then grate the beets using a large grater and return them to the broth.

Meanwhile, I cut the radishes and cucumbers into thin strips.

I finely chop the onion and crush it with coarse sea salt to extract the juice.

I cut the hard-boiled eggs in half.

I peel and dice the boiled potatoes. In a pot with beet broth, I add the diced vegetables and onions. I mix everything well and season to taste with salt. If needed, I will also add some sugar or vinegar.

I serve the classic borscht chilled, with half of a boiled egg and a spoonful of thick sour cream.