Barszcz from a Polish Country House Kitchen

Name: Barszcz from a Polish Country House Kitchen
Total time: 120 min
Cuisine: Eastern European
Ingredients: 5 Large or small beets, peeled and halved; 1 lb Meaty veal or beef bones; 1 Medium carrot, trimmed and peeled; 1 Medium parsnip, trimmed and peeled; 1 Large onion, peeled and halved; 1 Leek (white and green parts), trimmed, halved lengthwise, and rinsed; ¼ Celery root, peeled, or long celery stalk; 3 Dried mushrooms or porcini; 10 Garlic cloves, peeled and left whole; 1 Bay leaf; 1 pinch Dried marjoram; 6 Peppercorns (optional); 12 cups Water; 2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice; to taste Salt; to taste Freshly ground black pepper; ½ cup Sour cream or plain Greek-style yogurt (optional)

Recipe GLPRdb894c18f32503

Eastern European

Soup

120 min

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

A traditional Polish beet and bone broth soup with aromatic root vegetables and dried mushrooms. This deeply flavored, ruby-colored soup is built on a slow-simmered stock infused with earthy mushrooms, fresh vegetables, and warming spices. Finished with a squeeze of bright lemon juice, it's a rustic, nourishing classic served warm as a main course.

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Ingredients

5 Large or small beets, peeled and halved

1 lb Meaty veal or beef bones

1 Medium carrot, trimmed and peeled

1 Medium parsnip, trimmed and peeled

1 Large onion, peeled and halved

1 Leek (white and green parts), trimmed, halved lengthwise, and rinsed

¼ Celery root, peeled, or long celery stalk

3 Dried mushrooms or porcini

10 Garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

1 Bay leaf

1 pinch Dried marjoram

6 Peppercorns (optional)

12 cups Water

2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice

to taste Salt

to taste Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup Sour cream or plain Greek-style yogurt (optional)

Directions

Place the meaty beef or veal bones in a large pot and cover with about 12 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface for the first few minutes.
Once the broth is clear, reduce the heat to low. Add the halved onion, carrot, parsnip, leek, celery root or celery stalk, dried mushrooms, whole garlic cloves, bay leaf, peppercorns if using, and a large pinch of marjoram.
Simmer gently, uncovered or partially covered, for about 1.5 to 2 hours until the broth is deeply flavored and the vegetables have softened. Skim the surface occasionally if needed.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding the bones, vegetables, and aromatics. Return the clarified broth to the heat.
Add the peeled and halved beets to the strained broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the beets are tender and the broth has turned a rich deep red.
Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, freshly ground pepper, and a pinch more marjoram if desired.
Ladle the soup into bowls. If desired, top each serving with a spoonful of sour cream or Greek yogurt, which will marble beautifully through the crimson broth.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

Barszcz is a rare winner on ingredient availability in Charlotte: beets, carrots, onions, and garlic are standard at every chain, and beef bones cost almost nothing at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, or Kroger. Celery root and parsnip are the real question marks—Harris Teeter carries both, but Food Lion and ALDI do not always stock them, which could mean a second stop. The stated 120 minutes is honest for a proper long broth, but the actual hands-on work is minimal: you brown bones, chop roots, and let the pot do the labor for two hours. This is a weeknight non-starter because of the time, but a weekend broth for a crowd of four or more becomes economical at under two dollars per bowl. The dried mushrooms (a dollar or two at any store) are optional depth, not a requirement. Barszcz holds beautifully for three days in the fridge and freezes perfectly, so one batch feeds a family across a week.