Borscht

Cooking: 2 hours

4 – 6 servings

Prepare a warming bowl of borscht with this simple recipe. Serve the hearty soup with a dollop of sour cream and a piece of crusty bread.

Ingredients

For the broth

1 kg fatty beef shank (left in large pieces)
1 onion, peeled, whole
1 bay leaf

For the soup

2.2 kg peeled and chopped potatoes
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely grated
200 g beetroot, peeled and cut into julienne
1 red bell pepper, cut into pieces
200 g canned chopped tomatoes
6 dried plums
½ head of white cabbage, shredded
400 g red beans, drained and rinsed
100 ml sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving
½ bunch of dill, chopped
Crusty bread, for serving

Procedure

STEP 1
To prepare the broth, place the meat, whole onion, bay leaf, and 2 liters of lightly salted cold water in a large pot. Simmer on very low heat until the beef shank is tender and breaks apart easily – this can take up to 3 hours. Occasionally remove the scum with a spoon. Place the larger pieces of beef back in the broth, remove the whole onion, and discard it.

STEP 2
Add the potatoes to the borscht, generously season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10-15 minutes until softened. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large deep skillet. Add the diced onion and carrot, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the carrot softens and begins to caramelize.

STEP 3
Add the beetroot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, increase the heat, let it simmer for a bit, and then add everything to the borscht.

STEP 4
Add the shredded cabbage and beans, and cook for 7-10 minutes or until softened. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, plenty of chopped dill, and crusty bread.