SALTIBARSCIAI - LITHUANIAN COLD BEET SOUP

Saltibarsciai, is a traditional Lithuanian cold beet soup, is one or our favorite summer recipes. It’s a great quick meal and an ideal summer cooler.

While some traditional Lithuanian cooking recipes require a lot of preparation, this one is relatively simple.

It’s good to have on hand for those quick summertime meals when you don’t feel like cooking.

You can prepare it in advance and keep it chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use.

It goes well with sandwiches, roast pork, barbecue, Lithuanian sausage or just about anything else. It is great for lunch or a quick supper on a hot summer's day. It also adds a nice cool touch to picnics on a hot summers day on the beach.

Ingredients:

2-3 Medium to large red beets (about 1 pound)
Water
2 Medium Cucumbers
2 Scallions or chives
2 Hard-boiled Eggs
1 cup Sour Cream
4 cups Buttermilk
Fresh Dill Salt

Method:

Clean, trim and peel the beets, cover with water and boil until tender.

While the beets are boiling:

Peel cucumbers
Chop into small cubes (about 1/2 inch)

Peel shells from hard-boiled eggs

Separate the whites from the yolks

Chop the whites very finely
Chop the scallions

Mash with the egg yolks
Add 1/4 teaspoon salt to release the onion flavour.

When the beets have finished boiling
Remove them from the water

Reserve the beet water

Cool the boiled beets under cold running water

When beets have cooled
Grate them coarsely.

In large mixing bowl:

Add buttermilk to the beet water
Blend in the sour cream
Add the grated beets
Add the chopped cucumbers
Add the finely chopped egg whites
Add the mashed egg yolks and onions
Stir until well blended.

Place in refrigerator to chill.

Serve: in a soup bowl with chopped dill as garnish.