MAE MAE'S BEETROOT BORSCHT
by Great Performances
We’ve got a soft spot for beets at Great Performances. We grow them at Katchkie Farm, our organic farm in upstate New York, and often featured them on the menu at our own Mae Mae Cafe. From our signature beet chips to our fan favorite beet burger, we celebrate the beet. Here we’re sharing a delicious beetroot borscht – that we served throughout the colder months at Mae Mae and especially around Valentine’s Day.
INGREDIENTS
PROCEDURE
- 1 lb raw beets, peeled and chopped
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 celery stick, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 L vegetable stock + additional water if required
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 lemon, juice only
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Sour cream, horseradish and dill to serve
- Gently fry the finely chopped onion, garlic, celery and garlic in the grapeseed oil over a very low heat until soft and aromatic.
- Add the chopped beets. Cover with stock and add extra water if required until you have 4cm above the level of the beetroot.
- Add a bay leaf and leave to simmer with a lid semi-covering until the beetroot is soft, around 45 minutes.
- Puree the soup then allow to simmer for another 10-15 minutes to thicken and concentrate the flavors. Season with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper before serving. Top with horseradish, sour cream and fresh dill.
More Recipes

What’s In Your Fridge? A Look Inside Liz Neumark’s Kitchen
At any given moment, a refrigerator holds more than just ingredients; it tells a story. What we keep on hand, what we reach for late

Celebrating the 2025 Artist Fellowship Awards
The Artist Fellowship Awards are one of Great Performances’ most cherished traditions and every year, they remind us just how deeply creativity runs through our

Fellowship Spotlight: Tira Adams, Conjure
When we asked Tira Adams, one of GP’s 2024 Fellowship recipients, how the award helped her artistically, she didn’t hesitate: “I finally got to make

Where Moments Become Memories: Social Spaces We Love in NYC
NYC venues destined to bring social events to life. New York City offers an extraordinary range of settings for social events—each with its own character,

A One-Pot Valentine’s Dinner Menu for Two
Valentine’s Day is coming up, and even in New York—where you can find romance on every corner and reservations are practically a sport—sometimes the best

Love, Actually — GP Edition
Great Performances has always been about connection—around tables, behind the scenes, and sometimes unexpectedly in the middle of the workday. Over the years, a few

February 2026 Food Festival: Mercimek Çorbası (Turkish Lentil Soup)
Jump to Recipe Each month, our Food Festival series highlights a single dish through a chef- and community-driven recipe, practical cooking tips, and serving inspiration.

Ilgaz Sen on Mercimek Çorbası (Turkish Lentil Soup) and Late-Night Comfort
Ilgaz Sen is an Event Producer at Great Performances. For our Food Festival Series, she shares Mercimek Çorbası, a Lentil Soup from Turkey. Dish: Mercimek