Cold borscht

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 large beetroot
• 1 cucumber(s)
• 1 liter of thick milk – sour milk
• Water
• 3 spring onions
• 1 bunch of dill
• 3 eggs
• ¼ liter sour cream
• 8 potatoes
• Salt and pepper, white

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Saltibarsciai (pronounced schaltibarschtschiei), a Lithuanian summer dish

Cook the beets in their skins until tender, peel, and chill. Hard-boil the eggs, peel, and chill. Combine the beets, 2-3 eggs (leave one egg for free), dice the cucumber, finely chop the spring onions, season with salt and (not too much) pepper, and mix with the sour milk, half of the sour cream, and the finely chopped dill (leave some for free). Add water (or cold vegetable stock if you like); the consistency should be that of a cold soup. Chill, and let it sit for a few hours. Prepare the boiled potatoes. Serve saltibarsciai with a quarter of a boiled egg and a dollop of sour cream. Place the boiled potatoes on a separate plate. Notes: Sour milk is the classic way; kefir is also often used in Lithuania today. German sources sometimes specify buttermilk, which is rather unpopular in Lithuania, but I find it quite acceptable. Yogurt – not so good. Original Lithuanian sour cream is great, but unfortunately not available here. Sour cream is the closest thing to a Russian store with fresh produce nearby; the sour cream isn’t bad either. Instead of spring onions, you can also use chives, or maybe even regular onions, but not too much and very finely chopped.