Name: Classic beef borscht
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 35 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 500 g beef brisket; 1.5 l beef broth; 400 g beetroot; 400 g potatoes; 250 g white cabbage; 150 g carrot; 1 pc onion; 3 cloves garlic; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons sunflower oil; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon caster sugar; 2 pcs bay leaves; 4 pcs allspice; 6 pcs black pepper; salt; sour cream; dill; bread

Step by step process

Preparation

1
Place the beef brisket in a pot. Pour in the broth, bring it to a gentle simmer and keep skimming the foam so the borscht stays clear.
2
Season the broth. Add the bay leaf, allspice and peppercorns, then simmer the meat over low heat for about 60 minutes until nearly tender.
3
Prep the vegetables. Peel the onion, carrot and beetroot, chop the onion finely and coarsely grate the carrot and the beetroot.
4
Cut the rest. Peel the potatoes into cubes, shred the cabbage into thin strips and finely chop the garlic.

Cooking

5
Heat the sunflower oil in a pan. Saute the onion until translucent, then add the grated carrot and the beetroot.
6
Cook it down. Fry the vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes, stir in the tomato paste, sugar and apple cider vinegar and let it bubble briefly.
7
Lift out the meat. Cut it into smaller pieces and return it to the pot with the potatoes and the cabbage.
8
Bring it together. Add the sauteed vegetables, season the soup with salt and simmer for about 25 minutes until the potatoes and cabbage soften.
9
Finish with garlic. Stir in the chopped garlic and let the borscht rest under a lid for 10 minutes so the flavors meld.

Serving

10
Ladle the borscht into bowls. Top each portion with a spoonful of sour cream and scatter plenty of fresh dill over it.
11
Serve rye bread on the side. A slice pairs beautifully with the rich broth and the sweet-and-sour taste of the beetroot.