Olympics Soups: Andrei Kirilenko’s Borscht

While watching the Olympics in Russia, you might want to get in the mood by making their traditional beet soup, borscht.

Masha Kirilenko, wife of former NBA player Andrei Kirilenko (who was also a bronze medalist in the 2008 Summer Olympics), shared her borscht recipe with me several years ago.  At the time, I was working at the Deseret News, and Andrei was a forward with the Utah Jazz.  I visited their home the day after Andrei broke his wrist during a Jazz game. This was Russian “comfort food” at its best.  

We had scheduled the photo shoot with Masha a couple of weeks in advance. When I heard about the broken wrist, I tried to call Masha to see if we should re-schedule. She said, “No, it will be OK.”  

For a few moments Masha’s borscht and beef stroganoff seemed to take Andrei’s  mind off the ache of his left wrist, broken the night before during a game with the Washington Wizards. With his arm in a sling, Andrei Kirilenko ate one-handed. He said he had refused to take pain pills in an effort to build up his immune system and promote healing.

Despite the pain, Kirilenko was nevertheless in good spirits that day, urging me to  stir in some sour cream when sampling Masha’s borscht. “You need a little sour cream; it’s like with sushi, every time you need a little soy sauce with it.”

I also met the Kirilenko’s son, Fedya, at the time three years old. He had me toss a ball near the hoop of his Fiisher Price basketball hoop, and then his hand quickly came up to block the shot.

“I was teaching him how to block shots,” said Masha. “I said, ‘Daddy is the best in the league for this, so you’ve got to do it.'”

Although borscht is one of Andrei’s favorite soups, Masha didn’t seem to share his enthusiasm. “You have to be born and raised in Russia to like borscht,” she said. But her rich, flavorful addition of filet mignon chunks could win over some Americans. “It’s a very expensive borscht,” she noted.

Masha’s “quick” version uses canned beef broth instead of her homemade broth.

When I included this recipe in my cookbook, “Soup’s On!” I suggested using  stir-fry steak strips instead of filet mignon to cut costs, and add more simmering time so they will become tender. When tomatoes are out of season, I suggest using a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh.

Masha Kirilenko’s Quick Beef Borscht

4 medium boiling potatoes (also known as small red new potatoes), peeled and halved

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 large carrots, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 14-ounce cans beef broth

½ pound filet mignon, in chunks

2-3 fresh tomatoes, peeled, diced and mixed with a little olive oil (or 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes)

Several fresh beets, thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon fresh dill

1. Boil potatoes in a pot until tender; drain and cover to keep warm.

2. While potatoes are boiling, heat oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over low heat. Chop carrots and onion, and then cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to brown.

3. Add broth and beef, and bring soup to a gentle boil.

4. Peel and dice tomatoes and mix with a little olive oil. Slice beets, and add tomatoes and beets to the pot.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Simmer, covered, until beef and vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes). Ladle borscht into four bowls, and add potatoes.

6. Top with sour cream and sprinkle with dill.