Turkey Borscht

Beets are one of my favorite vegetables...I incorporate them in my menus as often as I can. This is recipe is a loose interpretation of Borscht. In the event that you aren't familiar with this type of soup, it is an old Eastern European dish that relies heavily on beets. Historically, it has been only the root of the beet that has been used, but in my recipe I add the leaves for flavor, texture and nutrients.

I grow my own beets in the garden. They are easy to grow if you remember to keep them weeded, watered and not too close together.

Alright, enough chatter, here's how it all came down:

2-3 cups rough cut turkey
2 celery ribs
1 large yellow onion
5 medium beets
1 cauliflower head
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dried sage
2 cloves of garlic
1/3 bag of egg noodles
6 cups of stock

Clean and cut the beets and cauliflower into roughly the same size pieces. Place on baking sheet, toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until nicely caramelized.

In stock pot, saute chopped onion, fennel seeds and celery ribs in olive oil and a tbsp of butter until softened. Add garlic and saute for a couple of minutes, be careful not to burn! Add roasted veggies, turkey, sage, and stock. Cover pot with a lid, turn up the burner to high and wait for it to come to a boil.

When soup is boiling, add 1/3 bag of egg noodles (or any kind you prefer) and cook until done. When the noodles are done, the soup is ready to serve.