Botwinka

Hi, it’s Scott here with this week’s recipe.

This week we have the Premier Seeds Direct Seed of the Month recipe. As you all know from last week’s podcast, this month’s seed is ‘Beetroot, Bolthardy’.

I thought I’d share a recipe of a dish I’ve recently discovered, which is Botwinka. A beetroot, Polish soup made specifically with young beetroot and the leaves so it’s perfect for this time of year. It also has new potatoes and young carrots. It really is a ‘grow your own’ ideal early summer soup.

Normally I would stay clear of soups in the warmer months, but this soup is fresh and vibrant and is lovely on a summer’s day. Traditionally served with a hardboiled egg and a dollop of sour cream, but I’ve used a soft boiled egg instead as the runny yolk adds a bit of richness. So let’s not delay and head to the kitchen and see how it’s made.

As usual you can find this recipe and others on the Veg Grower Podcast or on my Instagram page Seed to Table Plot 13

This recipe will serve four.

You will need:

200g young beetroot, diced

150g new potatoes, diced

50g grated carrot

1 stick of diced celery

30g chopped beetroot leaves or swiss chard

1 diced red onion

2 cloves of garlic

750ml chicken or vegetable stock

20g chopped parsley

20g chopped dill

1-2 juiced lemons

1/4tsp all spice powder

4 soft boiled eggs

4tbsp sour cream

Method

Start by sweating off the onion and garlic in a saucepan with a drizzle of oil, until soft.

Then add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and the grated carrots, beetroot and potatoes and cook for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Then add the chopped beetroot of chard leaves, along with the herbs and season with salt and pepper and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Now it’s ready to serve, garnish with a soft boiled egg cooked for 6 minutes in boiled water and a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of dill and parsley.