fermented beets (rossel)

[Guest guest]

This is something that I make every spring for Passover. It's

traditional if your family comes from Poland, Russia etc. NT has a

similar recipe, but I think that mine is better!

About a month before you want the soup, buy lots of fresh beets, wash

them thoroughly, and " top and tail " them, Cut them in half, or

in quarters if they are huge.

Have ready a pail or crock – I use a plastic diaper pail with lid

– possibly its culinary magic, but its kept only for this and seems

to come out better each year.

Put the prepared beets in the pail and cover well with water. Make sure

that the beets are covered, but also that there are a few inches between

the water and the top of the pail.

Cover with a cloth and put in a darkish corner out of harm's way. If

you use a lid as well as a cloth, make sure that the lid isn't tight

– it wants a bit of air. (to pick up the wild yeasts)

Give it a sniff after a week or so – it should be a bit

" beery " in smell. It might also have flecks of " stuff " .

Skim this off as best you can and give the pail a good stir. Put the

cloth on again. And stick it somewhere dark and cool. Forget about it

for at least two weeks and possibly more.

When the month is passed and you take your first look, you will probably

find some rather horrible stuff sitting on top, in appearance sort of

like a kombucha mother gone mad.

Mine was greenish, thin. and quite hard, but I suspect that the

appearance of the stuff will depend on what wild yeasts you have in your

kitchen. Get rid of the covering, and aby loose bits floating around.

If you are a real sissy, put it through a cheesecloth, but I never

bother.

You should be left with a bucket of very dark purplish liquid and lots

of beets. It can be stored in the fridge. I got my first soup out of it,

plus sdix 800 gm empty hellman's mayonnaise jars (my personal storager

unit LOL!) Also another jar of just beet juice, which is nice in the

morning instead of kombucha.

If you pour a bit of the liquid into a glass, it will be clear. The

taste is beety, but also a sort of sour taste and also a bit fizzy –

a bit like kvass, ikt just tastes live. It's the original liquid for

making borscht, and why most recipes tell you to add some lemon juice

– but this is the authentic taste.

Use whatever recipe of borscht you want, but don't add the fermented

liquid until you are ready to serve. Ditto the beets – I grate them

roughly and add at the end – they will cook a bit in the still hot

liquid. It's the same principle as making miso soup – if you add

it while boiling, it will kill the live enzymes.

Don't make too much the first time, in case your yeast goes bad.

(And don't ask me " how will I know if it is bad? " Trust me,

you will know!

Regards from edella

[Guest guest]

What do you mean " soup " ? Do you mean whatever soup you make and then

add the liquid and possible grated beets?

I can't see the difference between this and the kvass except the kvass

recipe wants you to add salt and whey. Am I correct? But it ferments

regardless?

Also you said when you pour it into a glass to drink it looks clear.

Kvass is deep purple. Is this just a milder version?

Sorry to need my hand held but I'm chicken little when it comes to new

things. I want to add to soup.

On May 11, 2008, at 8:43 AM, Edella Sutcliffe wrote:

> You should be left with a bucket of very dark purplish liquid and lots

> of beets. It can be stored in the fridge. I got my first soup out of

> it,

> plus sdix 800 gm empty hellman's mayonnaise jars (my personal storager

> unit LOL!) Also another jar of just beet juice, which is nice in the

> morning instead of kombucha.

Parashis

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[Guest guest]

<<What do you mean " soup " ? Do you mean whatever soup you make and then

add the liquid and possible grated beets?>>

Well, however much you make of rossel, (assuming that it came out OK!)

you never have enough to last you. Also you don't want to kill off the

enzymes - so you are exactly right - make a nice cabbage or beef/veg or

general veg soup.

When it is done, still hot but not boiling, add some of the beet juice

to taste, plus some of the fermented beets (graterd is best as they warm

up faster.)

I make rossel specifically for my passover seder, with a nice light veg

soup base, and tend to use more of the rossel on that occasion, plus

added boiled potatoes and dill and sour cream on top. |The rest gets

eked out rather carefully! Its also very nice if you like cold soups.

<<I can't see the difference between this and the kvass>>

There is not much difference. " kvass " is from the slavic word kvashnya

which just means " sour " ie its fermented.

<<except the kvass recipe wants you to add salt and whey. Am I correct?

But it ferments regardless?>>

Absolutely - its a bit scary to let the beets hang around for a month,

but it will ferment nevertheless - don 't forget that any beet has a lot

of sugar, which will help natural fermentation.

<<Also you said when you pour it into a glass to drink it looks clear.

Kvass is deep purple. Is this just a milder version?>>

No - by clear I meant not cloudy - when you check it out after a week or

so, it should be clear and will be a light colour and a teeny bit fizzy-

this is the first check, to make sure its working. But after the month

or so, it will be a very rich beet colour.

<<Sorry to need my hand held but I'm chicken little when it comes to new

things. >>

Of course! So are we all.

regards from edella