Make a warming bowl of borsch (also known as borscht or borshch) with this simple and comforting recipe. Serve this hearty soup with a dollop of soured cream and a chunk of crusty bread.
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
For the stock
1kg fatty beef shin, (left in large chunks)
1 onion, peeled and left whole
1 bay leaf
For the broth
2.2kg potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, roughly grated
200g beetroot, peeled and chopped into matchsticks
1 red pepper, chopped (optional)
½ x 400g can chopped tomatoes
6 prunes, pitted (we used French Agen prunes)
½ white cabbage, shredded
400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
100ml soured cream or crème fraîche, to serve
½ bunch dill, chopped
crusty bread, to serve
METHOD
- To make the stock, put the meat, whole onion, bay leaf and 2 litres of lightly salted cold water in a large saucepan. Cook over a very low heat for 1 hr 30 mins or until the beef shin is soft and falls apart easily – this can take up to 3 hrs. Skim off the scum with a spoon from time to time. Break up any larger pieces of beef into the broth, remove the whole onion and discard.
- Add the potatoes to the borscht, season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the diced onion and carrot, and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the carrot is soft and is about to start caramelising.
- Add the beetroot and cook for around 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, if using, and cook for another 2 mins, then add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, then increase the heat and boil to reduce slightly, before adding everything to the borscht.
- Add the shredded cabbage and the kidney beans, and cook for 7-10 mins or until tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, lots of chopped dill and some crusty bread.
Recipe from bbcgoodfood.com
