Taste of Virginia
EUROPEAN STEW WORKS WELL WITH ? VIRGINIA VEGETABLES ? Borscht comes from the Ukraine and is simply a beef stew with root vegetables. In this version, chef John Maxwell uses Virginia-grown beets and turnips, which are in season through November. “This is an extremely healthy beef stew,” Maxwell said. “To make a vegetarian version, simply increase the veggies and use vegetable stock instead of beef stock.”
Beef Borscht INGREDIENTS
1 pound beets 2 carrots 1 turnip 1 onion, chopped 1 pound beef tips, short rib 8 cups beef stock 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon sugar salt and pepper to taste 1 bunch fresh dill 1 bunch fresh parsley 1 bunch beet greens, chopped into thick ribons 7 ounces cabbage sour cream for garnish PREPARATION
Wash and peel the beets, carrots and turnip, and cut into small pieces. Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces, and sauté until browned. Add the carrots, onion and turnips, and braise for about 10 minutes. Add the beets, beef stock, vinegar, bay leaves and sugar. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly and cover, then simmer for 45 minutes. Vitamin-rich borscht can be made with beef or vegetable stock.
Tie the dill and parsley into a bouquet. Add the herbs, beet greens and cabbage to the pot, and simmer for another 30 minutes. Remove the herbs and bay leaf, and serve with sour cream.
To find the station nearest you that airs Down Home Virginia, or to view the show online, visit VaFarmBureau.org.
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Cultivate NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Chef John Maxwell appears each month on Down Home Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s monthly television program, courtesy of Virginia Grown, a program of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
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