Red Borscht Recipe

There are many famous dishes in the world, claimed by several nations to be historically theirs. Some nations go further by telling that this or that dish symbolizes their national identity. Down the road we will be dealing with many such recipes. In this blog I am not intended to fuel this sort of disputes, rather I view all recipes as world heritage and of course I will try to trace the historical origin to give rightful credit to claiming sides. Today I present to your judgment one version of borscht, cabbage soup, which is claimed by Russians and Ukrainians. Both of them are Slavic nations and that is the uniting part. Red Borscht became very popular in former soviet states. There are little deviations in Red Borscht recipe and the funny part is that most of them are claimed to be either original or classic. Personally I do not believe in originality, you modify or improvise as you wish as long as you keep the essential ingredients and cooking pattern or you risk to invent completely different dish. We are going to publish different versions of borscht, you choose which one is closer to your taste. I started with the one we like the most.

Ingredients:

• • 1/2 lb boneless beef
  • 1/2 lb lamb on the bone or other meat pieces on the bone
  • 10 cup water
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 medium beet, boiled
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1/2 of 1 lb head cabbage (approx 1/4 medium size cabbage)
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 2 tbsp crushed tomato
  • 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt to taste

Servings: 10

Use medium pot to boil beet. Water must cover beet while boiling. As soon as water boils add 2 tbsp. of lemon juice or 1 tbsp. of vinegar and keep boiling for 2 hours. Pressure cooker in this situation comes in handy. It shortens boiling time, saves energy and preserves nutrients. If pressure cooker is available, then the boiling time is 25-30 mins. Lemon juice or vinegar preserves color of the beet and removes unpleasant odors. At the same time use another 5 quart pot, pour 10 cups of cold water, toss in lamb or other meat pieces and bring to boil. As broth picks up temperature, foam from meat starts to emerge. Skim off foam carefully with spoon. When broth comes to boil reduce the heat and simmer for another 1,5 hours. At this point I add 1/2 tsp. freshly crushed cumin to remove meat’s odor. Season with approx. 1 tbsp. of salt.
Cut core out and chop thinly or shred cabbage.

Shred 1 medium carrot and boiled beet.

Mildly heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in 4 quart sauce pan and toss in 1 medium chopped onion. Saute for 2-3 mins stirring occasionally.

Heat level must be set to medium level. Throw shredded cabbage into sauteing onion. Season with 1 tsp. of salt and saute them for another 5-6 mins.

Throw in shredded carrot and 2 tbsp. of crushed tomato. Mix all ingredients and close lid. Saute for 4-5 mins by occasionally stirring.

Add chopped parsley and 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Stir ingredients.

Carefully, transfer sauteed vegetables into broth, which was prepared earlier. Toss in 2 bay leaves and boil vegetable soup for 30 mins. Add shredded beet and shut off heat. Before serving check salt. Serve with sour cream.

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Red Borscht Recipe

A delicious Ukrainian Borscht

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Ukrainian

Servings: 10

Author: Zafar Nasyrov

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb boneless beef
• 1/2 lb lamb on the bone or other meat pieces on the bone
• 10 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 medium beet boiled
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 of 1 lb head cabbage approx 1/4 medium size cabbage
• 1 medium carrot
• 2 tbsp crushed tomato
• 1/2 bunch parsley chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Use medium pot to boil beet. Water must cover beet while boiling. As soon as water boils add 2 tbsp. of lemon juice or 1 tbsp. of vinegar and keep boiling for 2 hours. Pressure cooker in this situation comes in handy. It shortens boiling time, saves energy and preserves nutrients. If pressure cooker is available, then the boiling time is 25-30 mins. Lemon juice or vinegar preserves color of the beet and removes unpleasant odors. At the same time use another 5 quart pot, pour 10 cups of cold water, toss in lamb or other meat pieces and bring to boil. As broth picks up temperature, foam from meat starts to emerge. Skim off foam carefully with spoon. When broth comes to boil reduce the heat and simmer for another 1,5 hours. At this point I add 1/2 tsp. freshly crushed cumin to remove meat’s odor. Season with approx. 1 tbsp. of salt.
• Cut core out and chop thinly or shred cabbage.
• Shred 1 medium carrot and boiled beet.
• Mildly heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in 4 quart sauce pan and toss in 1 medium chopped onion. Saute for 2-3 mins stirring occasionally.
• Heat level must be set to medium level. Throw shredded cabbage into sauteing onion. Season with 1 tsp. of salt and saute them for another 5-6 mins.
• Throw in shredded carrot and 2 tbsp. of crushed tomato. Mix all ingredients and close lid. Saute for 4-5 mins by occasionally stirring.
• Add chopped parsley and 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Stir ingredients.
• Carefully, transfer sauteed vegetables into broth, which was prepared earlier. Toss in 2 bay leaves and boil vegetable soup for 30 mins. Add shredded beet and shut off heat. Before serving check salt. Serve with sour cream.