Ukrainian borscht

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 300 g soup meat
• 6 potatoes
• 300 g white cabbage
• 1 large onion(s)
• 2 m.-large beetroot
• 1 carrot(s)
• 1 large red bell pepper(s)
• 1 parsley root(s) or ½ celeriac
• 1 can of tomatoes (pizza), or 3-4 fresh tomatoes
• some tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• salt and pepper
• Paprika powder, hot
• 1 tbsp mustard
• dill
• Parsley
• chives

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour

The red soup, family recipe

Bring the broth to a boil with about 3 liters of water in a large pot. Carefully skim off any foam and simmer with the bay leaves but no salt for about 2 hours over low heat. When the broth is ready, you can add a little salt, but not too much, as you’ll be adding the vegetable stock cube later. Peel the potatoes, cut them into large cubes (about 2 cm²), and add them. After about 10 minutes, add the thinly sliced ​​or shredded white cabbage and continue cooking. Finely dice the onions and bell peppers, and julienne the carrots, beetroot, and parsley root (or celery). Finely chop the garlic. Sauté the vegetables in a large pan in butter or oil (not olive oil!) in this order: onions, carrots, bell peppers, beetroot and parsley root, garlic, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Sauté briefly to keep the vegetables crisp. Add the steamed vegetables to the soup and season with the vegetable stock cube, pepper, paprika, and mustard. Finally, add the fresh herbs. Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche. This soup is a true vitamin bomb. Even the kids love it. We regularly serve it. The soup can, of course, also be made vegetarian without meat, but in my opinion, it’s not quite the same.