Borsjtj - The Russian Beetroot Soup
By: Karin W.
Published: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 - 2:43am

Ingredients




2 1/2 liters beef stock
500 grams boneless beef
1 yellow onion, cut into chunks
1 carrot, cut into chunks
2 leeks
10 pepper corns
1 bay leaf
1/4 head white cabbage
1/4 celeriac
3 cloves garlic
1 bunch parsley
3 tablespoons butter
6 raw beetroots
5 potatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt and lemon juice to taste

Preparation

1 Bring beef and stock to the boil, skim off scum. 2 Add onion, carrot, leek (green parts only), parsley stalks, pepper and bay leaf. 3 Simmer slowly for 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until beef is tender. 4 Meanwhile shred white cabbage, celeriac and potatoes. 5 Cut the remaining leek into rings. 6 Chop parsely, peel the beetroots and coarsely grate them. 7 Fry all the vegetables in butter without browning them. 8 Add pressed garlic. 9 Add strained stock and cook for ab. 10 minutes. 10 Cut beef into small cubes, remove all visible fat. 11 Add beef to the soup and simmer for 5-10 minutes. 12 Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. 13 Finally add the chopped parsley. 14 Serve the soup hot with crème fraiche or sour cream (smétana).

About


Beetroot is a popular ingredient in East European cookery. The ingredients of a Borsjtj (Borscht) vary depending on its origin - Russian or Polish. Sometimes this soup is served as a side dish. If you want it to be completely vegetarian, omit the beef and use vegetable stock.