Borscht Base for Winter (Beets and Carrots)
A savvy cook is always prepared! This make-ahead borscht base — beets, carrots, tomatoes, and onions canned for the winter — shaves a half hour, even a full hour, off making borscht. Everyone will be amazed when you produce an express borscht with a flick of the wrist and a smile — and a tasty one at that!
Cooking method
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Step 1:
How do you make a winter borscht base from beets, carrots, tomatoes, and onions? Peel and wash the vegetables — the listed weights are for peeled vegetables. Trim the stem ends off the tomatoes.
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Step 2:
Shred the beets, carrots, and onion with a grater or food processor. If you don't have a processor, cut the onion into thin strips or a small dice.
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Step 3:
Put the shredded vegetables in a large pot. For this quantity you'll want a 16-quart pot.
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Step 4:
Add the oil and a third of the vinegar. Stir gently so the oil works its way to the bottom.
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Step 5:
Add the water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
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Step 6:
Purée the tomatoes with a blender. No blender? Use a grater, a sieve, or whatever you have on hand — or just cut the tomatoes into cubes. Peel them first if you like.
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Step 7:
Add the tomato purée to the beets in the pot, along with the remaining vinegar.
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Step 8:
Add the salt, sugar, allspice, and bay leaves. Stir and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Total simmering time, including the first stage, is about 1 hour.
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Step 9:
Pack the hot base into sterilized jars all the way to the top and seal with lids.
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Step 10:
Turn the jars upside down, wrap them up, and let them cool completely.
- To make sure your summer harvest keeps you happy all through the cold season, read up on the basic rules, tips, and tricks for canning and preserving.
- Unless a recipe says otherwise, vinegar here is 5% (distilled white).
- Here's to delicious borscht — enjoy!
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Onion - 41 kcal/100g
- Tomatoes - 23 kcal/100g
- Beets - 40 kcal/100g
- Dried beets - 278 kcal/100g
- Boiled beets - 49 kcal/100g
- Carrots - 33 kcal/100g
- Dried carrots - 275 kcal/100g
- Boiled carrots - 25 kcal/100g
- Bay leaf - 313 kcal/100g
- Granulated sugar - 398 kcal/100g
- Sugar - 398 kcal/100g
- Wine vinegar (3%) - 9 kcal/100g
- Vinegar 9% - 11 kcal/100g
- Balsamic vinegar - 88 kcal/100g
- Apple cider vinegar - 14 kcal/100g
- Vinegar - 11 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Water - 0 kcal/100g
- Sunflower oil - 898 kcal/100g
- Refined sunflower oil - 899 kcal/100g
- Allspice - 263 kcal/100g
