A refreshing chilled soup for hot afternoons.
Blend avocado, broth, onion. Mix cream and seasonings. Mix both together. Chill. Garnish with parsley, paprika and onion. Servings: 4
A thick, very rich version of Russian beet soup melded with potatoes and other vegetables, butter, and cream..
For years, various members of the family have lived in an area of British Columbia, Canada, into which many Doukhobors (a sect of Christian Russians who practice what is called “radical pacifism”) settled after emigrating to Canada from Russia in the early 1900s to escape persecution. One of the mainstays of the Doukhobour diet, which is vegetarian, is their particular style of borscht, or beet soup, which is thick with potato starch and heavily laden with butter and cream. It is a full-course meal in itself.
Prepare the mashed potatoes, reserving the water in which the potatoes were cooked. Set the mashed potatoes aside. Add 3/4 of the cabbage, the diced beet, carrot, and green pepper to the hot potato water in a large soup pot and cook for 15 minutes.
Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the chopped onion and garlic and stir until transparent, and then add the rest of the cabbage. Fry to brown slightly.
Toss the fried cabbage in with the other vegetables in the potato broth. Empty the tomatoes into the skillet and add the basil. Heat well and throw into the soup pot. Add water as needed and continue simmering. Add the mashed potatoes and dill. Stir in cream (use as much as your taste buds dictate and your conscience will allow) and heat but do not boil. Season.
Serves 8.
Ashkenazic Chicken Soup and Matzo Balls with Fresh Dill
Matzo Balls
Combine chicken wings, water, onion, carrot, parsnip, celery, parsley and dill sprigs, and pinch of salt to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Partly cover and simmer 2 hours, skimming occasionally. Skim off excess fat. (Chicken soup can be kept 3 days in refrigerator or can be frozen; reheat before serving.)
Make matzo balls: In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs with oil. Add matzo meal, salt and stir until smooth. Stir in water, then let mixture stand for 20 minutes so matzo meal absorbs liquid. Bring salted water to a boil. With wet hands, roll about 1 teaspoon of matzo ball mixture between your palms into a ball; mixture will be very soft. Set balls on a plate.
With a rubber spatula, carefully slide balls into boiling water. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes or until firm. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. (Matzo balls can be kept 2 days in their cooking liquid in a covered container in refrigerator; reheat gently in cooking liquid or in soup.)
To serve soup, remove chicken wings, onion, celery, parsnip, parsley and dill sprigs. Take meat off bones and add to soup; or reserve for other uses. Add pepper to soup, stir in snipped dill and taste soup for seasoning. Slice carrot and add a few slices to each bowl. With a slotted spoon, add a few matzo balls. Serve hot.
8 servings
