Borscht
Ruby red beetroot soup with beef, cabbage, and a dollop of sour cream with dill.
- Preparation
- 30 min
- Cook/bake time
- 2 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 30 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
Ruby red beetroot soup with beef, cabbage, and a dollop of sour cream with dill. To keep the color bright and prevent it from turning brownish, the beetroots are added late and stabilized with a splash of vinegar. A filling stew that tastes even better on the second day.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Cook the broth
Place the beef brisket in a pot with cold water, bay leaves, peppercorns, and the halved onion, and slowly bring everything to a simmer. Carefully skim off the rising foam and let the broth steep gently for ninety minutes without letting it boil. Remove the meat, cut it into cubes, and strain the broth.
- 2
Braise the beetroot
Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the grated beetroot for ten minutes over medium heat. Stir in the tomato paste, vinegar, and sugar, and let everything braise for another five minutes. The vinegar fixes the red pigment, otherwise the soup will lose its bright color later and turn brownish.
- 3
Cook the vegetables
Bring the strained broth to a boil and add the diced potatoes. After five minutes, add the white cabbage, carrots, and onion. Let everything simmer for fifteen minutes until the vegetables are soft but not falling apart. The cabbage should still retain a slight bite.
- 4
Combine
Add the braised beetroot along with the diced beef to the pot and let everything steep gently for just ten more minutes. The beetroot should not cook any longer, as it will otherwise lose its color and delicate sweetness. Stir in the garlic right at the very end.
- 5
Season and serve
Season generously with salt and pepper and adjust the acidity with a little vinegar, as the soup should be noticeably sweet and sour. Ideally, let it steep overnight. Serve it with a generous dollop of sour cream and plenty of fresh dill, as both are an inseparable part of the dish.
