Cold borscht with hot potatoes and yoghurt

Cold borscht with hot mashed potatoes? Think of hot apple pie with ice cream. The sensation is similar, but savoury rather than sweet.

Cold borscht with hot potatoes and yoghurt

                                                 Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 medium beets

4 cups water

2-3 sprigs fresh dill for borscht, plus 1 sprig for garnish

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 medium potatoes, boiled, whipped

½ tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons milk

Greek yoghurt

Preparation:

1. Thoroughly wash beets under running water to remove sand and debris. Remove any wilted or discoloured tops and roots. Place whole beets in the basket of a food steamer or pressure cooker. Steam according the instructions in your steamer or pressure cooker manual. When cooked, remove beets to a heat-proof container and set aside to cool. Reserve cooking fluid for use in this borscht.

2. When beets are cool enough to handle, slip the peels away. Dice. Place in a non-reactive cooking pot. Strained the reserved cooking fluid and top it up with fresh water to make 4 cups of liquid. Add whole sprigs of dill. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Remove and discard dill. Add lemon juice, sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Turn off heat and allow borscht to cool until the borscht is no longer steaming.

4. Pour borscht into a blender. Pulse to a thin puree.

5. Remove borscht to a lidded container and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

6. Prior to serving borscht, cook potatoes with skins on. While still hot, mash them. Add butter and milk, then whip them to a smooth paste.

7. Ladle cold borscht into bowls. Place a dollop of hot whipped potato into each bowl of borscht, and top it off with a tablespoon of soured cream and a small slip of fresh dill.