Ukrainian borscht

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 500 g beef brisket
• 1 ½ liters of water
• 500 g beetroot
• 150 g celeriac
• 150 g parsley root(s)
• 150 g parsnip(s)
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp salt
• ½ tsp sugar
• 500 g tomatoes, chopped
• 500 ml beetroot juice, lactic acid fermented
• 50 g butter
• 500 g white cabbage
• 500 g potatoes
• 1 bunch of parsley
• e.g. red wine vinegar
• 200 g sour cream

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours; Total time approx. 4 hours

Place the beef brisket in boiling water and simmer for about 1.5 hours, until the meat is tender. Then remove and set aside. While the broth is simmering, prepare the vegetables. Cook the beets until tender, let them cool, and peel them. The skin should be completely intact beforehand, otherwise it will bleed during cooking. Once cooled, it can be easily peeled off. Coarsely grate the beets, celery, parsnips, and parsley root. Finely slice the cabbage. Peel the potatoes and cut into 2 cm cubes. Finely chop the onions and garlic. Heat the butter in a large saucepan. Lightly fry the onions and garlic. Then add the beets, celery, parsnips, and parsley root, along with the salt, sugar, and about half of the broth, and reduce the heat to low. After 20 minutes, add the tomatoes, beetroot juice, cabbage, and potatoes. Simmer for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the meat into approximately 2 cm cubes and chop the parsley. Add the meat at the end and simmer for another 15 minutes. Season the borscht with salt and red wine vinegar. Serve on plates, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and top with a dollop of sour cream. Serve with hearty rye bread. For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and replace it with more vegetables. For 6 servings, one serving has approximately 500 kcal.