chłodnik
a recipe for a refreshing summer treat - vegetarian cold beet soup served with new potatoes
Cold soups are perfect to beat the heat during summer. Across the world, there are many delicious varieties to explore. In Korea, there is Mul-naengmyeon, a soup based on chilled beef stock and radish water kimchi brine served with noodles, pear, pickles and hard-boiled egg. From the kitchens of France comes Vichyssoise, a creamy cold blend of leeks, potatoes, white onions, and cream.
In Poland, where I grew up, my family would often prepare chłodnik to cool us down. This vegetarian cold soup features young beet leaves, grated beetroots, and cucumber, combined with yoghurt and kefir. Garnished with a medium-boiled egg, herbs and pickles. Varieties of this soup can be found in many parts of Eastern Europe, such as Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine.
Below I present a recipe for this beautifully looking fuchsia-coloured chłodnik, inspired by a recent visit to my parents’ home and the abundance of fresh vegetables in their garden.
Chłodnik - vegetarian cold beet soup served with new potatoes
Serve: ~4
Ingredients:
Chłodnik
200g beetroot
100g young beet leaves
100g cucumber (about 1 piece)
1 garlic clove
a squeeze of lemon
150g plain yoghurt
250g kefir
450ml vegetable stock
a bunch of dill and chives
black pepper
sea salt
Toppings
6 radishes
2 sour cucumbers
herbs such as chives and dill
2 eggs
500g new potatoes
flaky sea salt
black pepper
Method:
Cook the eggs
Bring the water to boil in a small pot and carefully submerge the eggs. Simmer for 7 minutes. Once cooked, shock the eggs in ice water. Gently crack the shell and roll in your hands to loose up the outer layer. Remove the membrane and the shell. Set aside.
Beetroot and leaves
Split the roots from the leaves. Thoroughly scrub and clean the roots and place them in a pot (if they seem too big, cut them in half). Cover with cold water, season with salt and cook until soft - it should take about 20 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size.
Chop beet leaves into bite-size pieces. Add them to the simmering roots for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Poke the roots with a sharp knife to check if they’re done. When the roots get soft, drain the leaves and roots and let them cool down.
Peel the beetroot’s skin and grate on large holes on a box grater. If you want to avoid staining your hands, use reusable gloves.
Cook potatoes
Ensure all potatoes are similar in size, cutting any larger ones in half. Place the potatoes in cold water and simmer for about 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain them, then return them to the pot over heat, and shake them around for a minute to dry them thoroughly.
Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a pan and add potatoes. Sauté until the sides get golden in colour. Add a knob of butter and season with salt.
Veggie prep
Peel the cucumber and cut it into rough squares (see the photo below).
Mince a garlic clove.
Finely slice chives and chop dill.
Toppings
Thinly slice half of all radish and pickled cucumber. Cut the rest of the radish into halves. Finally, chop the rest of the pickled cucumber into small rectangles. These different cuts are purely for presentation, as shown below.
Pick dill fronds and finely slice chives.
Cold soup
Place all the vegetables and herbs in a pot or a bowl (apart from the topping ingredients).
Add vegetable stock, yoghurt and kefir and mix with a spoon.
Squeeze some lemon juice to add brightness and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Combine and taste again.
Chill the soup in the refrigerator for at least an hour to let the flavours blend.
Serve
Halve the eggs.
Ladle the chilled chłodnik into a bowl, and top up with an egg, pickled cucumber, radish, herbs, flaky salt and ground black pepper. Serve with roasted new potatoes on the side.
