Borsch

Total Time: 3 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef (or other soup meat, cut into bite sized chunks)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 large onions (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 lb smoked lamb (lean, cut into large cubes)
• 3 quarts water
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 peppercorns (crushed)
• 2 garlic cloves (mashed, then diced)
• 8 medium beets
• 1 bunch beet leaf (small tender leaves)
• 1 carrot (sliced)
• 1 stalk celery & leaves (sliced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped fine)
• 1 cup cabbage (shredded)
• 3 large potatoes (peeled and cut into large chunks)
• 1 quart tomato (or a large can)
• 1 cup navy beans (cooked)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 5 frankfurters

Recipe

• 1 in large pot, brown meat in butter, then remove and set aside.
• 2 saute the onions (using more butter, if needed), the set aside with the meat.
• 3 make a paste of remaining butter and flour and add water as needed, save this for thickening at the end.
• 4 return meat to pot, add smoked lamb and water.
• 5 bring to a boil then simmer.
• 6 add bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, beet greens, carrot, celery, and parsley.
• 7 cover and simmer for 2 hours.
• 8 peel and grate one of the beets into 1/4 cup water and set aside to make the lovely color.
• 9 scrub and cook the other 7 beets in a separate pan, and when done set aside to cool.
• 10 add tomatoes, beans, cabbage, potatoes, vinegar and sugar and simmer (another hour of cooking total).
• 11 peel and dice beets and add to soup.
• 12 add thickening to soup.
• 13 during last 15 minutes of cooking, add grated beets and juice (and franks).
• 14 cut the frankfurters in half lengthwise, leaving about an inch uncut. cut the strips in half lengthwise. cut the 2 strips in half, then cut each of these 4 strips in half. the frankfurter will be an inch of solid meat with 8 strips attached. when cooked, the strips curl, and resemble an octopus. children love this!
• 15 serve with sour cream.