Odenwald Borscht

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 head of white cabbage
• 5 large potatoes
• 10 carrots
• 1 stalk(s) leek
• 2 large onions
• 5 garlic cloves (optional)
• 1 tube(s) Tomato paste
• 250 g bacon (dried meat)
• 500 g beef soup meat (marbled, boneless)
• 10 gherkins (Polish pickles)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 liters of beef broth
• 1 bunch of parsley
• Oil (sunflower oil)
• salt and pepper
• Caraway powder
• Paprika powder
• possibly vinegar (herb vinegar)

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

without beetroot

Cut the vegetables, onions, and cucumbers into small cubes. If you want the cabbage to have a bit more crunch, cut it into slightly larger strips. Cut the beef into small pieces. Dice the bacon and fry it in a hot pan. Cover the bottom of a large pot with plenty of oil. Add the white cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and onions. Fry the vegetables until lightly browned. Add tomato paste and fry briefly. Season with pepper and deglaze with the beef broth. Add the beef and the rendered bacon and press the garlic cloves into the stew. Add 2-3 tablespoons of paprika and a small pinch of caraway seeds, then add the pickles. Simmer over medium heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding a little more beef broth if necessary. Then add the leek and simmer the stew over low heat until the meat and vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat, stir in the sour cream, season to taste, and serve hot with freshly chopped parsley. If you want the stew to be a little more sour, you can also season it with herb vinegar.