Borsch

Bortsch

By: Margaret Fulton
From: Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery
Serves: 6

A basic soup of Russia and Poland, mainly characterised by its use of beetroot, which gives the soup a lovely wine-red colour. There are thick and thin versions as well as hot and cold. All borschs are served with a sour cream garnish.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
750g	stewing beef in one piece, (shin of beef is good)
1.75 litres	beef stock
1	bay leaf
90g	butter
1	large onion, chopped
2	carrots, sliced
1/2	cabbage, shredded
2	potatoes, peeled and sliced
15g	parsley, chopped, including stalks
125g	tomato paste
1 tablespoon	vinegar
3	raw beetroot, peeled and grated
	salt and freshly ground black pepper
60ml	fresh beetroot juice, plus a little juice
	lemon slices, to garnish
	sour cream, to garnish

Method

Place beef in a large saucepan with stock and bay leaf and bring to the boil. Skim, then lower heat and simmer, covered, for 1½ hours or until beef is almost tender.
Heat butter in another saucepan and gently fry onions, carrots, cabbage and potatoes for 2–3 minutes, stirring to coat with butter. Add vegetables to soup pot and simmer, covered, for another 30–40 minutes or until beef and vegetables are very tender. Stir in parsley, tomato paste, vinegar and grated beetroot and simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes. Taste and season well with salt and pepper.
Remove beef from pot, cut into slices and divide among 6 large bowls. Stir beetroot juice into soup (this gives a good red colour) and ladle into bowls. Garnish each bowl with a slice of lemon and a spoonful of sour cream.

Note

If desired, the meat could be served separately as a second course with rye bread, dill pickles and mustard.

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