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Botvinya classic

Classic Botvinya

A wonderful alternative to okroshka and cold beet soup in hot weather. Botvinya is much heartier thanks to the meat broth, but at the same time light thanks to all the greens and vegetables. And this soup is quick and simple to make.

Lyalich

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork

400

Water

500

Salt

Onion

Garlic

Fresh herbs

Kvass

500

Broth

200

Any meat

250

Beet greens

Cucumbers

Radishes

Green onion

Parsley

Dill

Salt

Mustard

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 40 % 4 g

Fats 50 % 5 g

Carbohydrates 10 % 1 g

67 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make botvinya? Gather all the ingredients. Botvinya can be made with meat in meat broth, or with fish in fish broth. My family prefers the meat version, and that's the one I'll show you. You'll need lean meat, vegetables, kvass, fresh herbs, and the most important ingredient — the one without which it wouldn't be botvinya — beet greens. Wash and dry the vegetables and herbs. First, let's cook the meat, since we'll need it along with the broth.
Step 2:

Rinse the meat — I'm using pork — put it in a pot, and cover it with cold, clean water. It has to be cold water, so the protein on the surface of the meat doesn't seize up, which would leave the broth "empty." Set it over medium heat and bring it to a boil, skimming off the foam. Then turn the heat to low, add the onion, garlic, and herbs, and salt it. Cook uncovered for 40 minutes, until the meat is done. Take it off the heat and let it cool.
Step 3:

Cut the cucumber into matchsticks and put it in a bowl, whether you're making the soup in one big bowl or in individual portions. Cucumbers are best straight from the garden, but if you don't have those, choose small, firm, green ones with no damage. If they're even a little rotten, throw them out without a second thought — the rot has already spread through the whole cucumber.
Step 4:

Trim the radishes, cut them into thin matchsticks, and add them to the bowl with the cucumber.
Step 5:

Finely chop the dill, parsley, and green onion, and salt them. Put them in a bowl and muddle them with a pestle so they release their juices and soften.
Step 6:

Add the herbs to the bowl with the chopped vegetables.
Step 7:

Strain the cooled broth through a fine sieve into a pot. Pour in the cold kvass and stir.
Step 8:

Add the mustard to the pot, salt it, and stir. Adjust the mustard to your taste — it varies in sharpness, so there's no exact amount.
Step 9:

Pour the kvass mixture into the bowl with the vegetables. Remove the stems from the beet greens and cut the leaves into thin strips. If the greens are large and have already turned too tough, scald them with boiling water. But mine were young, so I didn't need to.
Step 10:

Add the cooked meat to the botvinya, either in one piece or cut into matchsticks. Season everything with salt and, if needed, pepper, and serve with sour cream.
Step 11:

Enjoy!