Un-bore the borscht!

Please understand that this gives me great pain to admit.  I’ve done much soul searching, and came to the conclusion that I must give credit where credit is due, even though a small part of said soul dies a bit in the process.  I do have some small justifications to make afterwards, though.

Here goes.

Deep breath.

The best borscht…

(I can’t believe I’m doing this)

I said, the best borscht recipe I’ve ever had…

(please Lord, forgive me)

…comes from…

Martha Stewart

Ouch.  I thought I’d feel better afterwards, but no.

For what it’s worth, though, is this is actually Martha’s mother’s recipe.  Let’s face it, even though Martha was once part of that housewife (or househusband, as the case may be)-powerhouse rat-race, rivaled only by Oprah for notoriety, the fact that she still had to give up her Alpha status to her Mom is worth noting.

I’ve made many, many an attempt at borscht, and the results have been varying.  I once thought I’d found the perfect borscht here in Vancouver, but they’ve since changed the recipe, and now it’s a gauzy, albino shadow of the beety perfection it once was.

This recipe, however, has met and exceeded my expectations.  It’s sweet, savoury, earthy, and perfect as a hearty meal on its own in winter, or as a bright luncheon soup in warmer weather.  Not convinced?  Go heavy on the sour cream for hearty, heavy on the dill for lighter.

I’m just gonna link you to the recipe (and video clip featuring Martha’s mom), because I am NOT about to take any chances with going up against that woman’s copyright lawyers!  She may have survived prison, but don't expect me to.

Mrs. Kostyra's Borscht

Enjoy!

Razzle an Oot

Ras whaaaaaat?

I really do like the weird stuff.  Not weird in other cultures, but “kinky” by general North American meat-and-potatoes standards.  I have to emphasize that by weird I don’t mean the still-beating heart of a cobra.  Weird and gross are two different things.  Feel free to google seal flipper pie.  Not for me.  Thanks for the offer.

In particular, I find that spices can be an easy rut to find one’s self tumbling into.   Garlic.  Thyme.  Cumin.  Blah blah blah.   I’ve taken to toasting, dehydrating and grinding many of my own spices, and the results are in an entirely different echelon from anything you’ll find hanging out in mass produced form next to the powdered instant Hollandaise sauces in the grocery store.

Imagine my delight when I found a local company making exotic spice blends.  Monsoon Coast, based on Salt Spring Island, was an impressive discovery while stalking the shelves at the Gourmet Warehouse.

Many of their spice blends I’d never heard of before, but the one that caught my attention most was Ras El Hanout.  Seriously, just saying it out loud (and three times fast) even makes me smile.  You just did, didn’t you?

A bit of research told me (okay, so I just read the side of the jar), that this spice blend has had many variations.  Some of the variants classically contained such ingredients as Spanish Fly and hashish.  So yes, this IS a feel-good food.  Even though those more risqué ingredients are now absent, you get the idea of what this blend aims for.

I bought it, without a clue what to do with it, but eager to give it a try.  When I popped the jar open I was met with a gorgeous, heady aroma somewhere between a curry and 5 spice powder, but more elusive and earthy than either.

I decided to wing it and give it a try in a quasi-tagine-esque meal.  Here’s what surfaced.

1 onion chopped

1 or two carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds

1 small shallot minced fine

2-3 tsp ras el hanout (or cumin, if you’re gonna be a lazy sod about it)

3 cloves garlic, minced, bashed, whatever.

1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger

2 tomatoes chopped

3 cups stock (approx.  You want enough to cover the veggies)

1-2 Tbsp tomato paste

½ zucchini cut into small wedges

1 chicken breast, cubed(you could definitely use more. I just wanted a more veg-heavy meal)

1 can beans (fava, kidney, chick peas…)

In a deep skillet or dutch oven, cook the chicken in a bit of olive oil until no pink remains on the outside.  Remove and set aside.

Add a bit more oil if necessary to the pan, and add onions.  Sauté until they start to turn translucent.  Add carrot and cook for about 3 minutes.

Add the ginger and ras el hanout and stir until the onion and carrots are coated with the spice mixture.

Throw in the tomatoes and garlic, give ‘er a stir.  Cook until the tomatoes just start to soften.  Taste for S&P, adjusting as necessary.  Return chicken to the pot.

Add stock to cover, stir in tomato paste, and allow to come to an almost-boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Check seasoning, and adjust, even adding a bit more ras el hanout if you wish.

Add zucchini and beans and simmer about 10 minutes more until soft. 

Serve hot, in bowls, over rice.

You may want to play with the order you add some of the veggies.  I like to add the beans and zukes towards the end, so they still have much of their structural integrity.  If the beans go in too soon they turn to mush (also depends on the beans you use).  That being said, you may feel the same about tomatoes, and you’d rather they maintain shape. 

Take advantage of the fact that the internet allows for anonymous experimentation.  I can’t judge you if I can’t see you (although, I am becoming something of an expert at cyber-judgment).