HOMEMADE BORSCHT (Cabbage & Beet Soup)

Instructions

1. Pour the beef with 12 cup /3 l of water, bring to a boil and skim the froth, add 1 medium bulb onion, 1 medium carrot, fresh parsley stems, allspice and peppercorn, cover with a lid and boil for 1h 30 min over low heat.
2. Chop 7 oz /200 g of bulb onion and the bell pepper.
3. Cut 7 oz /200 g of carrot, the beet and white cabbage into strips.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and lay out the cut beet, fry for 3 minutes over medium heat.
5. Then add the tomato paste, 1 lemon juice and sugar and fry stirring for 5 minutes over medium heat.
6. Add 7 fl oz /200 ml of water into the pan, bring to a boil and simmer with a lid covered over low heat for 15 minutes.
7. In another pan melt the butter and fry 7 oz /200 g of the cut bulb onion for 3-4 minutes, add 3 minced garlic cloves, 7 oz /200 g of cut carrot, bell pepper and chopped tomatoes, stir and simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
8. Take the meat out into a bowl, separate from bones and cut into average pieces, take the veggies out of the broth.
9. Add the cut potato, white cabbage and a bay leaf into the broth, bring to a boil, cover with the lid and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
10. Add the braised vegetables, beet and cut meat into the stockpot. Stir, bring to a boil and cook over low heat with the lid covered for 10 minutes.
11. Crush the cut pickled lard, 4 garlic cloves, fresh parsley leaves and ½ tsp of salt in a mortar or blender and add into the stockpot with the borscht.
12. Salt and pepper to taste, stir and boil for 2 minutes over low heat.
13. Switch the heat off, cover the stockpot with the lid and leave for 15 minutes.
14. Serve your Ukrainian borscht hot with sour cream, horse-radish, green onion, pickled lard, garlic pampushki (buns) or fresh bread.