Recipe: Beautiful Borscht with Kraut

Ingredients:

• 2 medium white beets
• 1 small bunch red beets (3-5 small beets)
• 3 carrots
•  2 small white potatoes (or 1 small white potato and 1 small white sweet potato)
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1 large shallot
• 1/2 medium white sweet onion
• salt 
• pepper
• water
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 c. sauerkraut
• sour cream, optional
• dill, optional
• lemon wedges, optional

Instructions:

Chop all vegetables and place in medium stockpot. Just cover with water. Bring to boil. Reduce and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Blend in batches, adding more water if necessary to obtain desired viscosity of soup. Add salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice and sauerkraut and stir to combine. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. (Optional: serve each bowl with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of dill, and a lemon wedge.) 

by Melissa McKinnon