flipUkrainian Borscht with Beets
Ukrainian Borscht with Beets
Why this dish? Exter grew up and worked in Kyiv, the capital of borscht. This deep red soup, a color she so loved in her Cubo-Futurist designs, was the pillar of the daily meal throughout the Ukraine of her youth.
A peasant soup of intense red, with beets and cabbage, tangy and comforting, crowned with a spoonful of smetana and fresh dill.
You see, that red — I sought it all my life on my canvases and on the stages of the Kamerny Theatre — and it was already in my grandmother's pot in Kyiv. We let the beets simmer for hours, until the broth took on that carmine hue that no pigment can match. A splash of sour juice to awaken the color, a spoonful of smetana that opens on the surface like a blot of white gouache, and dill on top. Eat it boiling hot, with black bread: it is the warmth of an entire people.
- •Beets — a few (color and earthy sweetness)
- •Cabbage — a quarter head (body of the soup)
- •Potatoes — a handful (consistency)
- •Onion and carrot — to taste (aromatic base)
- •Tomatoes or beet kvass — according to season (acidity)
- •Smetana (sour cream) — a good spoonful per bowl (final roundness)
- •Dill — a bunch (fresh fragrance)
Ukrainian Borscht with Beets
A peasant soup of intense red, with beets and cabbage, tangy and comforting, crowned with a spoonful of smetana and fresh dill.
Why this dish? Exter grew up and worked in Kyiv, the capital of borscht. This deep red soup, a color she so loved in her Cubo-Futurist designs, was the pillar of the daily meal throughout the Ukraine of her youth.
You see, that red — I sought it all my life on my canvases and on the stages of the Kamerny Theatre — and it was already in my grandmother's pot in Kyiv. We let the beets simmer for hours, until the broth took on that carmine hue that no pigment can match. A splash of sour juice to awaken the color, a spoonful of smetana that opens on the surface like a blot of white gouache, and dill on top. Eat it boiling hot, with black bread: it is the warmth of an entire people.
Ingredients (period version)
- Beets — a few (color and earthy sweetness)
- Cabbage — a quarter head (body of the soup)
- Potatoes — a handful (consistency)
- Onion and carrot — to taste (aromatic base)
- Tomatoes or beet kvass — according to season (acidity)
- Smetana (sour cream) — a good spoonful per bowl (final roundness)
- Dill — a bunch (fresh fragrance)
Ingredients
- Raw beets — 400 g (color and sweetness)
- White cabbage — 200 g, shredded (body)
- Potatoes — 2 medium, diced (consistency)
- Onion — 1 (base)
- Carrot — 1 (base)
- Crushed tomatoes — 200 g (acidity)
- Beef or vegetable broth — 1.5 L (liquid)
- Red wine vinegar — 1 tablespoon (brightness of the red)
- Thick crème fraîche — for serving (smetana)
- Fresh dill — 1 bunch (finish)
Method
- Sauté onion and carrot in a little fat.
- Add grated beets, tomatoes, and vinegar; let stew for 10 minutes to fix the color.
- Pour in broth, add potatoes and cabbage, season with salt.
- Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until everything is tender.
- Serve very hot with a spoonful of cream and plenty of chopped dill.
How it was made : In the Ukrainian countryside, borscht was made in a large cauldron for several days, and its acidity often came from fermented beet kvass rather than tomatoes. Each family kept its own recipe.
The contemporary twist : Served in transparent verrines to reveal the gradient from red to white cream — a small tribute to Exter's geometric sets.
Aleksandra Exter · Charactorium
