Borscht Soup

Yeild: 6 lit

Ingredients

900 gm beef brisket or shank

3.5 lit water or beef stock

115 gm butter

230  gm onion, sliced thin

230 gm leek, cut julienne

230 gm green cabbage, shredded

2 no beets (about  1.7 kg)

115 gm tomato purée

120  ml white vinegar

30  gm sugar

to taste salt

to taste ground white pepper

as needed sour cream

Procedure:

1. Simmer beef in the water or stock till tender ...
2. Remove cooked beef from the broth ... cut it into small dice ...
3. Measure broth ... add water to bring it back up to 3 lit  ...
4. Return  meat to the broth ...
5. Heat butter in a heavy pot ... Add onion, leeks, and the cabbage ... Cook slowly in the butter for about 5 min ...
6. Drain the beets and save the juice .... Grate the beets on a coarse grater, or chop them fine ...
7. Add mixture of onions, leeks, and cabbage, the beets, beet juice, tomato purée, vinegar, and sugar to the meat and broth ...
8. Bring to a boil ... simmer till the vegetables are tender ...
9. Season to taste with salt, white pepper, and more vinegar if desired.
10. Serve each portion topped with a spoonful of sour cream.

Note:

Leftover cooked beef may be used ...500 to 625 g cooked beef ... use stock, not water.

If fresh raw beets are used, shred or grate them ... sweat them with onions.

For leeks, use white part and about ½ inch (1 cm) of green, cut julienne.