Recipes

Non-Trad Borscht Adam James

This vibrant soup is inspired by my time in Moscow as a teenager in the mid-’90s. My parents lived there for four years, working at the embassy, while my brother and I went to boarding school in Australia. We’d fly over to Russia every school holiday, heading off on Moscow’s incredible underground metro system to explore the vast suburbs (and get into a wee bit of mischief along the way).

My parents had a helper at their apartment named Tanya. She was a qualified engineer, but the pay was better cooking for diplomats. I can still smell and taste the borscht she had sitting on the stove when we returned home, starving, on one particularly brutal sub-minus-20-degree day. My first proper borscht, piping hot with lashings of smetana (sour cream) and dark rye — earthy, acidic and oh so nourishing.

This version is far removed from Tanya’s, but it rings the same nostalgic bell in my memory. It’s equally delicious served chilled (like fridge-cold) on a hot day — super refreshing and revitalising.

Serves 4

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the stock:
2 litre water
3 dried shiitake
1 brown onion quartered
1 carrot roughly chopped
1 leek tops sliced
1 stalk celery
1 teaspoon peppercorns
2 bay leaves

Borscht:
2 medium beetroot
1 medium dutch cream potato
1 small brown onion
1 leek
1 stalk celery
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of good quality vinegar (I used raw white wine)

To garnish:
- pickles (finely sliced or diced, lacto fermented preferably but a simple sauerkraut would also be delicious).
- douchi (Chinese style fermented black beans for a whack of salty umami, shop bought would work just fine.)
- fresh goats curd (or substitute w smetana / sour cream, kefir cream or yoghurt)
- fresh herbs (I used dill, chervil, lovage + chive flowers all from my garden)

I sometimes get a bit carried away with excessive garnishes but here they are definitely the hero(s)...

METHOD

For the stock, combine all ingredients in a pot and let sit at room temperature for at least two hours to infuse and reconstitute the shiitake. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for one hour. Allow to cool slowly before straining.
Meanwhile, submerge the whole beets, skin on, in a pot of moderately salted water and simmer until just cooked through—a skewer should penetrate the centre with little resistance. This usually takes around 25 minutes. Strain and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel and dice (yes, your hands will go purple), then set aside.
For the borscht, finely chop the leek, onion, celery, and garlic. Sauté over low to medium heat in olive oil with a pinch of salt until the onion starts to melt, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Dice the potato, add to the pot and simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until cooked through, then add the beetroot. Allow to cool slightly before puréeing with a stick blender until velvety smooth.
To finish, stir through the vinegar, making sure it’s well incorporated. Check the seasoning and adjust to your liking. Be generous.
Top with all your chosen garnishes and enjoy.

ADAM JAMES aka ROUGH RICE is a self-taught cook and maverick fermenter based in Lutruwita (Tasmania). His practice explores the alchemy of fermentation, preservation and flavour, drawing on traditional techniques from around the world and adapting them to local, seasonal produce.

We had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Adam and his family at their home in the Huon Valley, tasting our way through various ferments and experiments in the works, before being nourished with bowls of his borscht and roo skewers cooked over the fire on a cold afternoon.

Read the full interview HERE.