Borscht is this delicious Ukrainian soup, very common all over Russia. It’s made from (in this case) beef, beets, and cabbage. There are other things but that’s most of it. And it freezes pretty well, so it’s something you can make and then just have around.
Also, a note of caution: There’s no good way to say this. The next day, when you first use the bathroom, you may think you are dying. You are fine. It’s just the beets.
Borscht!
2 pounds beef, cubed if necessary. You can use pretty much anything because it’s going to cook for a while. If you happen to have meat with a bone in it, leave it in until you’re ready to eat
2-3 medium beets, peeled and grated
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2-3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 a head of cabbage, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
6 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
Put your chopped up meat in a large pot, salt it, and add about a gallon of water (the exact amount doesn’t matter, I just want to emphasize that it takes quite a lot). Also, this is where, if you have any meat stock lying around, use that instead. I usually make it with beef stock that I keep in the freezer.
Anyway, bring that to a boil, and then cook it partially covered at a low boil for 45 minutes to an hour. Some people say you should skim off the stuff that floats to the top during this process. I did it, I don’t know if it makes a difference.
Heat your oil and vinegar in a skillet, and add the beets, tomato paste, and sugar. Saute for about 15 minutes, until the beets are starting to soften. Set them aside. They shouldn’t be mush, they should still have some body to them.
Also, just a heads up, beet juice is bright purple, and while I don’t think it stains clothes, it does a great job on your hands.
In the same pan, add your butter, and saute the onion for 2-3 minutes, then add the grated carrots and saute for another five or so, then set aside with the beets (they’re going to end up in the same place soon). Again, you don’t want to cook it down to mush, they should still have some body.
Add your potatoes to the meat, and boil for 10-15 minutes.
Add everything else – cabbage, tomatoes, beets, carrots, parsley, bay leaves, garlic, and whatever I’m forgetting right now – to the soup. Return it to a boil, and cook another 10-15 minutes, until the potato chunks are done. Once that’s done, remove it from the heat, and let it rest, covered, for at least half an hour.
Serve it hot, with sour cream and fresh dill as a garnish, with your favorite bread.
eatbensmeat 