Beets are an important part of Polish cuisine. They're enjoyed in everything from salads to soups to side dishes. The beauty of this versatile root vegetable is every recipe usually can be enjoyed hot or cold!
1. Beets with Sour Cream
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This brilliantly colored dish can be served as a vegetable or salad, hot or cold.
2. Beets with Orange Zest
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Here's another beet dish that can be enjoyed as a vegetable or salad, hot or cold. It's dressed with vinegar and oil and brightened with citrus.
3. Creamed Beet Barszcz (Barszcz Zabielany)
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This magenta-colored soup does double duty hot or cold. It warms the toes in winter and cools in summer.
4. Clear Beet Barszcz (Barszcz Czysty Czerwony)
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This soup, known as beet borscht in Russian, is another hot or cold dish. Add boiled potatoes when eating it hot for a heartier dish, or garnish with sour cream and julienned beets if enjoying it cold.
5. Cold Cucumber-Beet Soup
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Nothing slakes the thirst like cold buttermilk and that's what you'll find in this refreshing cold cucumber-beet soup, which can be eaten pureed until velvety smooth or left chunky.
6. Pickled Beets (Buraczki Marynowane)
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The best way to enjoy farm-fresh produce year-round is to can it. Beets are no exception. Pickled beets can be enjoyed as a condiment, salad or vegetable. But be very careful with canning. Make sure to follow your processor manufacturer's directions to the letter. And, as always, if in doubt, throw it out.
