Lithuanian Beetroot Soup (Borscht With Bacon)
Lithuanian food lovers, brace yourselves for a heartwarming adventure! When it comes to comfort food, nothing quite hits the spot like a steaming bowl of Lithuanian beetroot soup. This delightful concoction combines basic ingredients that you can get at any local supermarket: carrots, potatoes, earthy beetroot, and red onions, all coming together in a symphony of flavors that dance on your taste buds. And guess what? The secret ingredient that transforms this humble soup into a culinary masterpiece is the sizzling addition of crispy bacon. It's a cost-effective, soul-warming delight, perfect for those bone-chilling winter days when you need a little extra TLC. Finish it off with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of dill, and you've got yourself a bowl of pure Baltic bliss!
Ingredients
- 100 g carrot (1 carrot) peeled and cut into small cubes
- 200 g potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
- 300 g cooked beetroot peeled and cut into small cubes
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 600 ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 4 rashers smoked bacon
- dill to garnish
- 2 tablespoon sour cream or creme fraiche
Instructions
- Add the cut up bacon into a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and fry for a few minutes until cooked through, browned and slightly crispy.
- Remove the bacon from the pan, then add a teaspoon of oil, cubed potatoes, carrots and sliced onion, adn sautee, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables start to soften slightly.
- Prepare the stock in a large pot and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Add the sauteed vegetables to the pan and cook for approx 10 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender. Add the beetroot and half of the bacon. Stor for a few minutes until the soup start simmering again. Cover the pot with a lid and leave it for 10 minutes for the flavours to mend.
- Divide the soup between bowls, top with a dollop of sour cream and garnich with the remaining bacon and fresh dill. Serve with a slice of bread on the side.