Borscht

Russian Cabbage Borscht

Soup

• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced potatoes (about 3 small potatoes)
• 1 cup thinly sliced beets.
• 4 cups water
• 1-2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1/3 of a large onion)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 3 to 4 cups shredded cabbage (about 1/3 of a large cabbage)
• a little fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 1 to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar[?] or honey
• 1 cup tomato puree or 1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato paste

Garnish

• Sour cream or yogurt
• Dill weed

1) Place the potatoes, beets, and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender (20-30 minutes). While that is cooking, do steps 2-3.

2) Melt the butter in a Dutch oven/soup pot. Add the onion and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent (8 to 10 minutes).

3) Add the celery, carrots, cabbage, and two cups of the water in which the potatoes and beets are cooking. Cover and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender (8 to 10 minutes).

4) Add the remaining soup ingredients (including the potatoes, beets, and the rest of the water in which they are cooking). Cover and simmer for at least 15 more minutes. Correct the seasonings. If it is too thin, let it simmer uncovered, and maybe add a little more tomato paste.

5) Serve hot, topped with sour cream or yogurt and sprinkled with dill. (If desired the sour cream or yogurt can be served with the soup and used as a condiment to taste.) Serves about 6.

See List of recipes.