Borscht
A hearty Ukrainian borscht made with beef broth — thick, ruby-red, with beans and prunes. The kind you'll want to eat again and again, especially with a slice of crispy bread and a generous dollop of sour cream.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Beef shank
- 1 pcs Onion
- 1 pcs Bay leaf
- 2.5 kg Potatoes
- 2 tbsp Sunflower oil
- 1 pcs Onion
- 1 pcs Carrots
- 200 g Beets
- 1 pcs Red bell pepper
- 200 g Canned tomatoes in their own juice
- 6 pcs Prunes
- 0.5 pcs White cabbage
- 400 g Red kidney beans
- 100 ml Sour cream or crème fraîche
- 1 bunch Dill
- Crispy bread
Instructions
- Place the beef shank, a whole onion, and a bay leaf in a large pot and cover with 2 liters of lightly salted cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1.5–3 hours until the meat is tender and falls apart easily into fibers. Skim off the foam occasionally with a skimmer. When the meat is cooked, break up any large pieces directly in the broth, then remove and discard the onion and bay leaf.
- Add the diced potatoes to the pot, season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, heat the sunflower oil in a deep skillet. Add the diced onion and carrots, sauté over medium heat, stirring, until the carrots are soft and lightly caramelized.
- Add the grated or julienned beets to the sauté and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the bell pepper (if using) and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and prunes, stir well, increase the heat, and let the mixture reduce slightly. Transfer all the sauté into the pot with the borscht.
- Add the shredded cabbage and beans to the borscht, simmer for another 7–10 minutes until the cabbage is tender. Ladle into bowls, add a spoonful of sour cream or crème fraîche to each bowl, generously sprinkle with chopped dill, and serve with crispy bread.