Barszcz wigilijny (Christmas Eve borscht) is one of the most visually extraordinary soups in European cookery. Where the Ukrainian borscht is thick and substantial, this Polish version is a jewel of a clear broth: every vegetable and solid element is strained out, leaving a translucent, deep crimson consommé that catches the candlelight of the Christmas Eve table like stained glass. It is served on Wigilia, the Polish Christmas Eve supper, as part of the traditional twelve-dish Lenten meal that excludes all meat. Tiny pasta parcels called uszka ('little ears'), filled with seasoned dried mushroom, float in the bright broth. The technique for achieving the vivid colour is precise: a small addition of vinegar or lemon juice at the end of cooking electrifies the betacyanin pigment from dull purple to luminous crimson (a fact understood by every Polish home cook. The soup is a test of skill and attention. Getting it right) clear, brilliant, deeply flavoured: is a point of household pride.
Ingredients
Soup
800 g raw beetroot, peeled and grated on the coarse side of a box grater
30 g dried porcini mushrooms
1 large onion, halved and charred in a dry pan until blackened on the cut side
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1 parsley root or parsnip, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
5 whole allspice berries
3 bay leaves
5 whole black peppercorns
1.5 litres cold water
Seasoning
2 tbsp red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 tsp caster sugar
salt
Uszka
200 g plain flour, for uszka dough
1 egg
80 ml warm water, for uszka dough
80 g the soaked porcini mushrooms, very finely chopped, for filling
1 small onion, finely diced and softened in butter, for filling
salt, pepper, and fresh parsley for uszka filling
Method
Soak the dried porcini in 300ml of boiling water for 30 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid (carefully pour it off, leaving any grit behind). Set aside the mushrooms for the uszka filling.
Place the grated beetroot, charred onion halves, carrot, parsley root, garlic, allspice, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large pot. Add the cold water and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Simmer gently, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Do not stir.
Meanwhile, make the uszka. Mix the flour, egg, and warm water into a smooth, firm dough. Knead for 5 minutes, wrap in cling film, and rest for 20 minutes. For the filling, combine the very finely chopped porcini with the softened onion; season well with salt, pepper, and parsley.
Roll the dough very thin (2mm). Cut into 4cm squares. Place a small amount of mushroom filling in the centre of each square. Fold diagonally to form a triangle, pressing the edges firmly to seal. Bring the two corners of the longest side together and pinch to form the characteristic 'little ear' shape. Rest on a floured surface.
Strain the borscht through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of muslin. Press gently to extract all liquid, then discard the solids. The broth will be dark purplish-red at this stage.
Return the strained broth to a clean pot. Add the vinegar or lemon juice and the sugar. Taste and season well with salt. The acid will transform the colour from purple to vivid crimson almost immediately.
Cook the uszka in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water for 3–4 minutes until they float and the dough is cooked through. Drain.
Ladle the clear crimson borscht into warmed bowls. Add 4–6 uszka to each bowl and serve immediately.
Notes
The borscht can be made 1–2 days ahead and refrigerated without the vinegar. Add the acid and reheat gently before serving. The uszka can be made a day ahead and refrigerated uncooked, or frozen for up to 1 month.
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