Russian cuisine is characterized by generosity and a variety of tastes. That is why Slavic dishes are popular in many countries of the world. But some recipes were undeservedly forgotten over time. But it is in such ancient dishes that the true culinary traditions of our people are reflected.
Today we will share with readers a recipe for a traditional Russian dish, which has the name "Botvina." This soup will not only surprise guests with unusual ingredients, but will also delight you with a pleasant taste.
What is Botvigna?
Let’s figure out what is “Botvina”? It is not known where the name of the dish came from. According to one version, the word denotes Old Russian “botet” (“getting fat”). Proponents of a different approach believe that the name came directly from the ingredient used in the recipe, namely beet and nettle tops. One way or another, but “Botvina” is a soup that is served cold. It perfectly refreshes in the summer heat, saturating the body with vitamins that are in the vegetable components of the dish and natural kvass. Since the technology for preparing such a soup requires a minimum heat treatment time of the ingredients, the beneficial substances are stored almost unchanged.
This dish is being prepared, like the classic okroshka, on kvass. The only difference is that the latter uses a white variety of the drink, while rye bread kvass predominates in botvini.
A bit of history
What is “Botvina” and where did this recipe come from? Initially, Botvina was a daily dish of peasants. Women added everything that they found in the field and the garden to such a soup: nettles, beets, sorrel and even tops (leaves) of plants, and kvass from wheat and malt.
But gradually the Botvigny recipe was improved, enriched with expensive ingredients. Then such a soup began to take pride of place on the royal table. Why did Botvina taste even to noble people? The secret is in the composition of the dish, as well as in its unusual serving.
Today, few people know about this cold soup recipe. This is due to the fact that it is quite difficult to find the necessary ingredients in a modern city, and some of them have become a delicacy and have a high cost. In addition, such a soup is served as an appetizer or the first cold dish and cannot claim the right to be the main component of the festive table.
Botvigny will taste on a hot day, for example, on a picnic or in a summer cottage. In this case, it’s not even necessary to set the table for a meal - cold soup can be served right in the glasses.
Soup composition
The classic recipe for the so-called incomplete botvigny suggests the presence of such ingredients:
- beet tops (leaves);
- nettle;
- sorrel;
- greens;
- kvass.
And what is “full botvini”? Such a soup is distinguished by the presence of boiled fish of red varieties (for example, salmon and salmon) or crayfish.
In addition, horseradish, lemon juice, mustard, and barrel pickles are added to spice it up.
Season the dish with dark bread kvass, diluting a little with light types of drink. Sometimes added sourdough made from leavened ground and flour. Then the botvina is called steamed.
Kvass for Botvigny: which one to choose?
As already mentioned, the basis of cold soup is dark kvass. A third of the white drink is added to it. It is important to correctly determine the proportions, because this factor will determine the taste of the whole dish. Since greens have a not too pronounced taste, the kvass should not be fresh. But a sour drink can ruin a cold soup. It is necessary to select a correlation of tastes so that the result is a sweet, rich dressing that emphasizes but does not "clog" the taste of the main ingredient - fish.
How to cook a classic recipe for Botvini?
The complete Botvigna soup according to the classic recipe is prepared as follows:
- Beet tops and sorrel are stewed until soft.
- Nettle leaves are scalded with boiling water and allowed to drain.
- Greens (dill, parsley, green onions) are finely chopped and ground with salt.
- In a separate bowl mix lemon juice, mustard, grated horseradish, dark kvass. Then add the mixture to a steamed tops.
- Topped up with white kvass. Bring to taste with spices: salt, black pepper.
- Boil the fish for about 10 minutes in boiling water with the addition of bay leaf, herbs, ground pepper.
- Ice is frozen. Split it into small pieces.
Unconventional recipes
Unconventional soup recipes include ingredients such as spinach, fresh cucumbers, shrimp, and even crab meat. Add cheese, rye crackers, sour cream. Decorate the serving and saturate the dish with boiled chicken or quail eggs, cut into halves. If you use not only the leaves, but also the root, you get beetroot botany. It has a rich color and sweet taste.
Modern housewives did not stop the cost of red fish. They found a way out, replacing seafood with ordinary beef or chicken. Such an unconventional cold soup recipe is quickly gaining popularity due to the ease of preparation and the availability of ingredients.
How to serve chilled soup?
What is Botvina, we told, but how to serve such an unusual dish? It is very important that the soup remains cold. Therefore, crushed ice is offered in a separate plate with a spoon.
Boiled fish or seafood are also usually served in separate dishes with appliances. If desired, a person can add slices to the soup or eat separately, as a second dish.
In a deep plate, the top-to-top soup with kvass is offered directly. During the meal, crushed ice must be added to the tops so that it always remains chilled.
Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to prepare a dish such as Botvina in modern conditions of a metropolis. You can’t buy beetroot leaves or fresh nettles in a supermarket, and red fish is quite expensive, and not every housewife decides to use such a product to make cold soup. But, knowing the recipe for classic botvigny, you can prepare a light soup of greens. Surely such a dish will come in handy on a hot summer day.