Polish White Borscht Recipe
Barszcz Biały
Barszcz Czerwony
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
2 lbs Polish White Kielbasa (Biała Kiełbasa)*
8 Cups Chicken Stock OR Water
2 Tbs Unsalted Butter
4 Cloves Fresh Garlic - minced
2 Leeks - white and light green parts only - sliced
1 small Onion - sliced thin
2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes - peeled and cut into 1 inch ‘cubes’
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Marjoram
1-2 Cups Sour Wheat Starter (Zakwas Pszenny)** - recipe included
⅓ Cup Heavy Cream (OPTIONAL)**
1 Tbs Fresh Horseradish (OPTIONAL)*** - grated
Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
4-6 Hard Boiled Eggs - halved or quartered
Fresh Dill - finely chopped
Fresh Parsley - finely chopped
Preparation:
- Place a large Dutch oven or pot over high heat - Add the kielbasa and stock/water - Bring to a boil - As soon as a boil is achieved, reduce to a simmer, and allow to cook for 20 minutes
- While the kielbasa is simmering, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat - Add the garlic, leek, and onion - Sauté until soft (apx 7 minutes)
- At this point, the kielbasa should have simmered for the appropriate time - Remove the kielbasa from the liquid and set aside until needed, leaving the liquid in the pot - Add the garlic/leek mixture to the liquid
- Add the potatoes, bay leaf, marjoram, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper - Bring back to a simmer and allow to cook until the potatoes are just tender (apx 7-12 minutes)
- While constantly stirring, slowly add the sour starter (or sour cream mixture - see notes) to the pot - Allow to simmer until thickened (apx 10 minutes) - Remove and discard bay leaf
- Add the heavy cream and horseradish (if using)
- Slice the kielbasa into ¼ inch slices and add to the soup - Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired - Allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes just to warm the kielbasa through
- Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste
- Serve hot garnished with the hard boiled eggs and a sprinkle of the dill and parsley along with a good ‘hunk’ of crusty bread (Rye preferred)
Sour Soup Starter (Zakwas Pszenny)
Ingredients:
3 Cups Water
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
12-15 Black Peppercorns
3-4 cloves Fresh Garlic - peeled and halved
3-4 Allspice Berries
3 Bay Leaves
Preparation:
- Use water filtered through a active carbon filter -OR- boil your water and allow it to cool to room temperature - This will reduce the chance of unwanted bacteria and mold growth
- Place your flour in a cleaned and sanitized container - Add the water stirring until fully incorporated and ‘lump free’ - Add the remaining ingredients and give it a stir
- Cover and place in a dark warm spot for 5 days - Give it a stir once a day
- After 5 days, strain out the spices and use OR store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month
*
Can be found in Polish Delis and specialty meat shops but, if you cannot find any you can
substitute Smoked Polish Kielbasa - the smoky flavor goes really well in this soup
**
There is another sour starter made from rye known as ‘Zakwas Żytni’ that makes a very similar
but distinctly different Polish soup called ‘Żurek’ among other recipes. The recipe is exactly the
same with the only difference being rye flour instead of wheat flour. If you don’t want to go to the
trouble of making the sour starter, you can substitute a mixture of 1 ½ Cups sour cream mixed
with ¼ Cup all-purpose flour as a quick ‘modern’ substitute with similar flavor results. However,
to get a more pronounced sour flavor you may want to add a splash of vinegar to the mix if it suits
your palate
***
Recipes for white borscht vary greatly by region and family with some including horseradish while
others do not so it is an optional ingredient. Fresh horseradish is preferred however, prepared
horseradish will work fine but you will have to adjust to taste. Cream is another ingredient that
can be found in some recipes and not in others making it optional, it adds to the richness of the
soup, very slightly cuts the sourness, and makes the soup even ‘whiter’ in color
