As long as I remember myself, my mother made it every Saturday — a bucketful to last until the next weekend. I am now trying to make it at least once a year.
This is my family’s borscht. Like any soup or stew it tastes better on day two or even three.
BEEF BROTH
(can be made months in advance and frozen, a week ahead and stored in the fridge, a day before and kept on the stove, or started on the day of)
— 1 or 2 beef marrow bones;
— about 3 lb brisket;
— neck bones or ribs;
— 3 bay leaves;
— 1 Tbs black peppercorns;
— a few stems of parsley;
— onion, halved;
— two carrots, cut in a few pieces;
— two celery stems with leaves.
1. Cover bones and meat with water, bring to a boil. After 5 minutes, pour the water out and scrub bones and meat under running water.
2. Cover now clean bones and meat with water, bring to a boil, add aromatics and cook 3-4 hours, until the meat is tender.
3. Discard bones, shred meat in bite size pieces and reserve on a plate.
VEGETABLES
— 3 medium beets grated;
— 3 carrots grated;
— a couple of Tbsp olive oil;
— 3 Tbsp tomato paste;
— 1 green pepper, diced;
— 1 medium onion, diced;
— 2 tomatoes chopped fine or 1 x 15 oz can chopped tomatoes;
— 3 large potatoes, cubed;
— 1 small head of cabbage, shredded;
— shredded beet stems and leaves;
— 1 Tbsp of sugar;
— salt and pepper, to taste;
— 1 clove of garlic mashed;
— 1 bunch of dill, chopped;
— 1 bunch of parsley, chopped;
1. In a skillet, sauté carrots and beets together until soft.
2. Stir tomato paste in and cook for about 5 min. Off heat.
3. Bring the broth to a simmer, add the contents of the skillet to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Add pepper, onion, and tomatoes and simmer for another 10-15 min.
5. Add potatoes, and also give them 10-15 min.
6. Add cabbage, beet stems and leaves — another 15 min.
7. Return meat to the pot and give it a few minutes to warm up.
8. Check seasoning, stir in sugar, add herbs and garlic. Off heat.
#food #cooking #soup #borscht #homemade