Hefty Borscht Recipes

HEFTY BORSCHT

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 4-quart pot with a cover. Add short ribs and brown on all sides, then transfer to a plate. Pour off all but a film of fat from pan. Add onion, fennel and garlic and sauté on medium until soft. Add cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until cabbage starts to wilt. Add beets, tomato paste, vinegar and celery seed. Stir.
• Return meat to pot. Add bay leaves and stock, adjust heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 1 1/2 hours, until meat is fork tender.
• Remove meat. Cut out bones and gristle and discard. Dice meat and return to pot. Reheat, check seasoning, and serve with sour cream or yogurt and potatoes on the side.

HEARTY BORSCHT

Steps:

• 1. Combine all stocks in large soup pot. Add chicken, carrots, celery, and parsnips. Bring to a low simmer until chicken is cooked, skimming the top of the soup to remove "foam" and blood. Chicken is done when juice from chicken runs clear when punctured with a fork. Remove cooked chicken and parsnips, discard.
• 2. While soup base is simmering, wash potatoes and boil with skins on in a separate pot. Potatoes are done when skins begin to crack and is somewhat tender to a fork. Strain and set aside to cool. Once cooled, peel skin (should pull away easily)and cut into 1 inch cubes. Add to soup base after chicken and parsnip have been removed.
• 3. Remove beet stems from beets (set aside) and boil beets until fork tender in another separate pot. Strain and let cool. Once cooled, remove outer layer of beet and slice into "small frech fries". Add to soup.
• 4. Saute chopped onion in small saute pan with 1 tbs. butter until tender, set aside.
• 5. Rinse beet leaves and stems, and chop into 1 inch pieces. In large saute pan, add remaining butter and cook until leaves are wilted and stem is tender.
• 6. Add onion, stem/leaf mixture, sliced garlic, fresh dill and parsley, salt and pepper to taste as well as the white vinegar to taste. Let soup slowly cool on stove to let flavors combine.
• 7. When ready to serve, add a dollop of sour cream and accompany with some rustic, fresh rye bread.

RUSSIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place the first six ingredients in a large soup kettle or Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute beets in 1 tablespoon oil for 3 minutes. stir in vinegar; set aside. Remove beef with a slotted spoon; cool. Remove meat from the bones; discard bones. Cut meat into chunks; set aside. strain broth, discarding peppercorns and bay leaves. Skim fat. Add enough water to broth to measure 6 cups; return to kettle. Add potatoes, carrots, cabbage, parsley and beets. Bring to a boil., In a skillet, saute onion in remaining oil for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Whisk into soup. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. add tomatoes. process soup in small batches in a blender or food processor; pour into a large saucepan. Add beef; heat through. Garnish with sour cream.

BORSCH

Steps:

• To make the stock, put the meat, whole onion, bay leaf and 2 litres of lightly salted cold water in a large saucepan. Cook over a very low heat for 1 hr 30 mins or until the beef shin is soft and falls apart easily - this can take up to 3 hrs. Skim off the scum with a spoon from time to time. Break up any larger pieces of beef into the broth, remove the whole onion and discard.
• Add the potatoes to the borscht, season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the diced onion and carrot, and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the carrot is soft and is about to start caramelising.
• Add the beetroot and cook for around 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, if using, and cook for another 2 mins, then add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, then increase the heat and boil to reduce slightly, before adding everything to the borscht.
• Add the shredded cabbage and the kidney beans, and cook for 7-10 mins or until tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, lots of chopped dill and some crusty bread.

KYERA'S HEARTY BEEF BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place oxtail, onions, carrots, cabbage, celery, barley, onion soup mix, dill, cinnamon, bay leaf, and water in a large slow cooker. Cook on low until meat is tender, about 5 hours.
• Remove meat and bones from slow cooker; cool on a plate until easily handled, about 10 minutes. Cut meat into small pieces; return meat to the soup and discard bones. Skim off any fat from soup; remove bay leaf.
• Stir beets and beet greens into soup; cook on low until beets are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper; top each bowl with about 1 tablespoon sour cream to serve.