Name: Chilled Beet Soup with Cucumbers, Radish, and Dill (Chłodnik litewski)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 1½ pounds (675 g) beets with greens (about 4 medium beets); 1 teaspoon sugar; 3 medium Kirby cucumbers, peeled and coarsely grated; 5 radishes, trimmed and chopped into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill; 1¼ cups (300 ml) sour cream; 2 cups (500 ml) full-fat buttermilk or kefir; 5 or 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked and chopped, for serving (optional); 4 medium-boiled eggs, peeled and halved, for serving (optional); 2 garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives; Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
3 hr

Appears in

Fresh From Poland

By Michał Korkosz

Published 2021

About

Chilled beet soup, swirled with a wooden spoon, is one of the quiet rewards of hot, lazy midsummer lunches. The trick to making it hearty enough is to not skimp on the seasonings and be patient with chopping to create the right chunky textures. Garlic, dill, chives, and a lot of freshly ground black pepper add plenty of flavor, while buttermilk and sour cream contribute a creamy, light texture. You could serve this on its own, but boiled eggs with runny yolks and some freshly cooked potatoe