RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Ruth Heiges Borscht, Cold Beet #3 (Microwave) - dairy
The microwave oven is great for hot-weather cooking, so I thought I'd offer the following from "Microwave Gourmet," by Barbara Kafka. Of the recipes listed in the index as kosher, I chose these for being dairy or pareve. That makes them suitable for both Shavuot and the period prior to Tisha b'Av, when many do not eat meat (sign of mourning for the Temple). All of the comments below are the author's. (The cooking times are based on a 650-700 watt standard of power.) Her reference to "kosher salt" is *koshering* salt; the coarse salt used in drawing blood out of meat. Ruth Cold Beet Borscht ----------------- Serves 4 2 cups water 2 Tbsp white vinegar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup peeled, grated cooked beets* 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or more, to taste 2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 cup; heavy cream 3/4 cup sour cream 4 tsp chopped fresh dill, for serving *Cooking times for beets: Small beets - 2 oz. each. Put in a dish at least 1/2 inch deep and large enough to hold them in a single layer. Cover tightly. 1/2 lb -- 8 min. 1 lb -- 12 min. 1-1/2 lb -- 16 min. Large beets -- Wrap individually in microwave plastic wrap; turn once. 1 beet, 11 oz. -- 20 min. 6 beets, 2-1/2 lb -- 25-30 min. 1. Combine water, vinegar and sugar in a 4-cup glass measure. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook at 100% for 5 minutes. 2. Remove from oven. Uncover and stir in beets. Let cool. 3. When cool, add lemon juice, salt, cream and 1/2 cup of the sour cream. Stir to combine. Add more lemon juice if desired, and chill. Garnish each serving with a tablespoon of remaining sour cream and a teaspoon of dill. To serve 8: Double ingredients. Cook water mixture 10 minutes in an 8-cup glass measure. Continue with steps 2 and 3. There are varying views on how to serve it. I eat it plain, but if I am giving a party, I set out little bowls of scallions (both the green and white parts), chopped dill, sour cream, cooked peeled potato chunks (cold), and lemon wedges.
