RCI-VG.004.1157.001
Russian Borscht
Contributed by [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/catsrecipes/ Catsrecipes Y-Group]
Prep15 min
Cook30 min
Total45 min
Servings4
Difficultyadvanced
Ingredients
- navy beans1 cupdry
- beef2½ lblean
- ½ lb
- 10 cups
- 1 unit
- 8 whole
- 2 cloves
- parsley2 tbspdried
- 1 unit
- 1 unit
- 1 large
- 1 tsp
- beets for soup8 unit
- 2 small
- green cabbage2 cupsshredded
- leeks2 largesliced
- potatoes3 mediumcut into eighths
- 1 can
- 1 tbsp
- 3 tbsp
- 4 tbsp
- kielbasa (optional)1 lb
- 2 tbsp
- butter1 tbspmelted
- ½ cup
Method
1
Soak the navy beans in cold water for at least 4 hours or overnight, then drain and set aside.
2
Cut the lean beef into 1-inch cubes and the slab bacon into ¼-inch strips.
10 minutes
3
Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and render the bacon strips until crisp, about 5 minutes, then remove and set aside.
5 minutes
4
Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the beef cubes in the bacon fat until deep golden on all sides, about 8-10 minutes total.
10 minutes
5
Return all beef to the pot and add 10 cups of cold water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
2 minutes
6
Bring to a boil, then add the drained navy beans, bay leaf, peppercorns, and dried parsley; reduce heat to low and simmer gently.
60 minutes
7
While the broth simmers, peel and chop the carrot and celery stalk into bite-sized pieces, and slice the red onion into thin half-moons.
10 minutes
8
After the beans have cooked for 1 hour, add the carrot, celery, and red onion to the pot; return to a gentle simmer.
30 minutes
9
While the vegetables cook, peel and cut the 8 beets into thin matchsticks, peel the 2 small beets and grate them on the large holes of a box grater, shred the green cabbage, and slice the leeks into ½-inch rings.
15 minutes
10
After 30 minutes, add the shredded beets, matchstick beets, potatoes, canned tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, and red wine vinegar to the pot.
20 minutes
11
Stir in the sugar, salt, and cooked bacon; add the green cabbage and sliced leeks (and kielbasa if using, cut into diagonal slices), and simmer until the potatoes are tender and all flavors are well blended, about 20-30 minutes.
25 minutes
12
Mix the flour with melted butter to form a smooth paste, stir it into the borscht to thicken slightly, and simmer for 5 minutes; taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then serve hot with a dollop of sour cream if desired.