One of my favorite memories from childhood was going to to Lindy's with my dad. The restaurant was large and noisy, the walls were covered with photos of movie stars. Waiters were rushing about and there was a feeling of being at an enormous party. I remember sitting up particularly straight so I could see everything that was going on.
The foods were familiar, Jewish and delicious.
They had an enormous menu. I remember ordering beet borscht and a wonderful apple pancake.
My grandmother had always made the classic Russian cabbage and meat borscht. But prior to this I had only had beet borscht from a jar we bought at the grocery store. Beet borscht at Lindy's came not only the standard sour cream but also, with a hot boiled potato! I had never seen it this way and when I put a bit of the hot potato into the soup it was nothing short of miraculous!
I am including a link here to a description of the venerable Lindy's that I visited so long ago with my dad.
http://nyapril1946.blogspot.com/2010/09/lindys-already-legendary-in-1946.html
Beet Borscht
3 large boiling beets
cover with water
Sour Salt, (dried citric acid, available at gourmet stores) or lemon juice
Salt
Potato
Sour Cream
Dill
Wash and scrub beets. Cover beets with water. Add salt and boil. Remove the beets and slip the skins off in cold water. Grate the beets, either a food processor or a medium sized hole of a box grater will do..Rubber gloves will be handy here.
Put the grated beet back into the cooking water. Starting with 1 teaspoon of sour salt or a tablespoon or two of lemon juice and then add some granulated sugar stirring and adding a little at a time alternating sour salt and sugar if necessary, until you have a tart but not too tart sweet sour taste. Add a little salt if necessary. Chill well and serve with a large dollop of sour cream and a hot boiled potato with a bit of chopped dill
Note: sugar can be replaced with agave syrup or stevia and there is very good fat free sour cream which I use.
The foods were familiar, Jewish and delicious.
They had an enormous menu. I remember ordering beet borscht and a wonderful apple pancake.
My grandmother had always made the classic Russian cabbage and meat borscht. But prior to this I had only had beet borscht from a jar we bought at the grocery store. Beet borscht at Lindy's came not only the standard sour cream but also, with a hot boiled potato! I had never seen it this way and when I put a bit of the hot potato into the soup it was nothing short of miraculous!
I am including a link here to a description of the venerable Lindy's that I visited so long ago with my dad.
http://nyapril1946.blogspot.com/2010/09/lindys-already-legendary-in-1946.html
3 large boiling beets
cover with water
Sour Salt, (dried citric acid, available at gourmet stores) or lemon juice
Salt
Potato
Sour Cream
Dill
Wash and scrub beets. Cover beets with water. Add salt and boil. Remove the beets and slip the skins off in cold water. Grate the beets, either a food processor or a medium sized hole of a box grater will do..Rubber gloves will be handy here.
Put the grated beet back into the cooking water. Starting with 1 teaspoon of sour salt or a tablespoon or two of lemon juice and then add some granulated sugar stirring and adding a little at a time alternating sour salt and sugar if necessary, until you have a tart but not too tart sweet sour taste. Add a little salt if necessary. Chill well and serve with a large dollop of sour cream and a hot boiled potato with a bit of chopped dill
Note: sugar can be replaced with agave syrup or stevia and there is very good fat free sour cream which I use.
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