Jill’s Borscht with a Lemon Twist and Greens

Jill says, “If you can’t find beets with greens, substitute Swiss chard for the greens. (You can also substitute green cabbage for the red cabbage, though the red has more potent antioxidants and looks nicer.) I add the finely diced beet greens to the bowls first and pour the hot soup over to slightly wilt them, but you could also just stir the greens into the hot soup.”

Text excerpted from Vegan Under Pressure, © 2015 by Jill Nussinow. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Photo © Lauren Volo.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup diced red onion
• 2 medium carrots, diced equal to about 1 cup
• 1/2 teaspoon dill
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 cups finely sliced red cabbage (about 1/2 medium head)
• 1 pound beets (2 to 3 medium), ideally with their greens, washed well, roots chopped
• 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon smoked or regular salt, optional
• 2 to 3 cups finely chopped beet greens or Swiss chard
• Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives, or dill, for garnish
• Nondairy yogurt, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat a stovetop pressure cooker over medium heat or set an electric cooker to sauté. Add the onion and carrots and dry sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the dill, caraway, bay leaves, cabbage, beet roots, lentils, and stock.
2. Lock the lid on the cooker. Bring to high pressure; cook for 8 minutes. Let the pressure come down naturally. Remove the lid, carefully tilting it away from you.
3. Using a pair of tongs, carefully remove and discard the bay leaves. Using an immersion blender if you have one, puree the soup in the pot to the consistency that you like. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully blend in batches in a regular blender.) Add the lemon zest and juice and smoked salt, if using.
4. Add the beet greens or chard to the soup; or add to individual serving bowls. Spoon the hot soup over the greens. Garnish with herbs and a dollop of nondairy yogurt.

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