Hearty Borscht Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Combine all stocks in large soup pot. Add chicken, carrots, celery, and parsnips. Bring to a low simmer until chicken is cooked, skimming the top of the soup to remove "foam" and blood. Chicken is done when juice from chicken runs clear when punctured with a fork. Remove cooked chicken and parsnips, discard.
• 2. While soup base is simmering, wash potatoes and boil with skins on in a separate pot. Potatoes are done when skins begin to crack and is somewhat tender to a fork. Strain and set aside to cool. Once cooled, peel skin (should pull away easily)and cut into 1 inch cubes. Add to soup base after chicken and parsnip have been removed.
• 3. Remove beet stems from beets (set aside) and boil beets until fork tender in another separate pot. Strain and let cool. Once cooled, remove outer layer of beet and slice into "small frech fries". Add to soup.
• 4. Saute chopped onion in small saute pan with 1 tbs. butter until tender, set aside.
• 5. Rinse beet leaves and stems, and chop into 1 inch pieces. In large saute pan, add remaining butter and cook until leaves are wilted and stem is tender.
• 6. Add onion, stem/leaf mixture, sliced garlic, fresh dill and parsley, salt and pepper to taste as well as the white vinegar to taste. Let soup slowly cool on stove to let flavors combine.
• 7. When ready to serve, add a dollop of sour cream and accompany with some rustic, fresh rye bread.

Steps:

• Place oxtail, onions, carrots, cabbage, celery, barley, onion soup mix, dill, cinnamon, bay leaf, and water in a large slow cooker. Cook on low until meat is tender, about 5 hours.
• Remove meat and bones from slow cooker; cool on a plate until easily handled, about 10 minutes. Cut meat into small pieces; return meat to the soup and discard bones. Skim off any fat from soup; remove bay leaf.
• Stir beets and beet greens into soup; cook on low until beets are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper; top each bowl with about 1 tablespoon sour cream to serve.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 4-quart pot with a cover. Add short ribs and brown on all sides, then transfer to a plate. Pour off all but a film of fat from pan. Add onion, fennel and garlic and sauté on medium until soft. Add cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until cabbage starts to wilt. Add beets, tomato paste, vinegar and celery seed. Stir.
• Return meat to pot. Add bay leaves and stock, adjust heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 1 1/2 hours, until meat is fork tender.
• Remove meat. Cut out bones and gristle and discard. Dice meat and return to pot. Reheat, check seasoning, and serve with sour cream or yogurt and potatoes on the side.

Steps:

• Place ham bone and water in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Remove ham bone; allow to cool. , Remove meat from bone and cut into bite-size pieces; discard bone. Return meat to kettle. Add ham, beets, pork and beans, soup, peas, carrots, beans, onion and dill. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Garnish with sour cream if desired.