Ukranian Peasant Borscht Recipes

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, brown bacon and render fat.
• Add beef and brown.
• Cut the onion, carrot and celery in half cross-wise and add to pot with beef.
• Also add beets whole with skin, shredded cabbage and water.
• Add pepper corns and bay leaves.
• Bring to boil, then turn heat to medium low, cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
• After an hour of cooking start boiling potatoes whole (skin on or off your choice) in a separate pot until soft (45 minutes).
• When soup is ready turn off heat, with a slotted spoon remove the celery carrot and beets.
• Discard celery and carrots or use for something else.
• Leave beets on a separate plate or bowl until cool enough to handle (10 min).
• Peel and grate beets back into the soup pot.
• Add grated carrot.
• Bring soup back to boil.
• Add vinegar and lemon juice.
• Cook 5 minutes longer.
• To serve place a boiled potato in bowl and ladle soup on top.
• Add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl.
• Enjoy.

Steps:

• In a large casserole combine meats with broth or water, bay leaf, peppercorns and allspice, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, skimming frequently, for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Strain soup, reserving broth and meats separately. Remove meat from the ham hocks, discarding any gristle or bone and cut it into dice. Cut beef into cubes. Return meat and broth to casserole and add beets, vinegar, tomato mors or paste and sugar; simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
• In a skillet set over moderate heat melt butter, add carrot, pepper, onion and salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened; add to casserole. Add potatoes and shredded cabbage to casserole and simmer 10 minutes. Add kielbasa and simmer 5 minutes more. Stir in kvass to taste, dill and garlic and let stand 10 minutes. Serve soup with slices of roasted goose, dill sprigs and sour cream for garnish.

Steps:

• In a 5-6 quart pot, bring meat and water to boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer and skim of foam. When foam stops rising, add salt, carrot, 1/4 celery root, whole onion and allspice; simmer gently, partially covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat falls of the bone. Preheat oven to 400°F. Scub beets, wrap in foil and bake for an hour, or until just tender. Poke through foil with skewer to check for doneness. Peel beets; shred on coarse side of grater. When meat is very tender, remove, strip off bones, and cut into small cubes. Place in bowl; cover with foil. Strain broth. Rinse out pot. Place pot over medium heat, warm butter, and saute onion 2-3 minutes. Add cubed celery root, parsips, turnips and carrot. Saute 5 minutes. Add strained broth, potatoes and shredded beets. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Just before serving, while soup is simmering gently, stir in garlic and lemon juice. Remove from heat immediately. Serve pipping hot in flat bowls with dollop of sour cream and generous sprinkling of parsley and dill.

Steps:

• Crumble the sausage (if using) into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until no longer pink. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Fill a large pot halfway with water(about 2 quarts), and bring to a boil. Add the sausage, and cover the pot. Return to a boil. Add the beets, and cook until they have lost their color. Add the carrots and potatoes, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the cabbage, and the can of diced tomatoes.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Stir in the tomato paste and water until well blended. Transfer to the pot. Add the raw garlic to the soup, cover and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Taste, and season with salt, pepper and sugar.
• Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with sour cream, if desired, and fresh parsley.