Borsch cooking

Borsch, “I believe that is one of the best soups in the world. It can be hot, cold, thick, thin, rich, meager – and still be good. It can be easy or intricate to make” - Mary Francis Kennedy Fisher, Brilliant American food writer,1908-1992

I remember my mama said that in spite of the same ingredients, you will never find the same taste for borsch. It always involves some personal twist of the cook to prepare borsch.
Here, the recipe, that my family always love. It is simple and very tasty, You can eat with a sour cream or fresh ground garlic, cold or hot, with added fresh herbs as Cilantro or Parsley.
       Borsch cooking
You need

= 6 liter Pot
= 450-500g Beef, best quality lean meet (preferably Organic)
= 5 Potatoes
= 2 small or 1 large size Cabbage
= 9 small or 3 medium size Beets
= 250-300 g Carrots
= 3 medium size Onions
=Tomato paste, small can~156ml
= 350 g of cooked beans
= 1 red /yellow/ orange pepper
= Bay leaves
= Olive oil or Grape seed oil
= 1. Cut meat on small pieces

= 2. Fill the pot with cold water (~ 3/4 of the pot) and put meat into the water. Put on a stove and add a pinch of salt. Cover the pot.

= 3. Bring water with meat to boil.
= 4.  Meanwhile, prepare potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut them in half.

= 5. Peel the whole onion. I used 1 Shallot onion. Any onion can be used except of sweet onion.

= 6. Periodically, uncover the cooking pot and check for the Scum. Do not miss it. You have to remove it as much as possible and discard it.

= 7. If the water is not boiling yet, there is a time to peel Beets, Carrots and additional Onions. All this vegetables are needed to dress our Borsch, for a Borsch Dressing.
= 8. I have small young Beets and for the 6 Liter pot I took 9 Beets. When you buy beets look for the round ones. They are sweeter and have a brighter color.

= 9. Do not miss the Scum! So, water begins to boil. Reduce the heat to medium.

= 10. Remove the Scum as much as you can and discard it.

= 11. Add Potatoes, whole onion and Bay leaves to the boiling water with meat.

= 12. Bring the broth to boil again and cook around 20 minutes.
= 13. Meanwhile, continue on the Borsch Dressing.
~ 14. Take a large Pan. Pour 4-5 Tablespoon(Tbsp) of Olive oil. Medium heat.

~ 15. Ground RAW Beets. I use Blender. You can use just a handy grounder.

~ 16. Put Raw Beets into the pan and mix them with Olive oil. Saute.

~ 17. Ground Carrots. I use small ones. Take 250-300g of of carrots for the 6 L pot. Peel the carrots. Ground them by using blender or handy grounder.
** Important. If you use Blender, first add a splash of Olive oil, (~1Tbsp) it will let the blender do its job smoothly.

~ 18. Add ground carrots to the sauteing beets. Mix them well.

= 19. By the way, you have to keep an eye on the Broth. If you have additional Scum, just remove it and continue to cook the broth.

~ 20. Onions. Take 2 medium or 3 small Onions. Peel. Put into the Blender. You do not have to add the Olive oil to the blender.

~ 21. Add grounded onion to the pan with Beets and Carrots. Add a splash of Olive oil as well. Mix the vegetables well. Continue to saute, around 10 minutes. Always mix them periodically.

= 22. Back to the Broth. Check the Potatoes with the fork. If the potatoes are soft, it is cooked.
 You have to remove cooked whole Onion and Bay leaves, as they gave their flavor to our broth.

= 23. While the broth is simmering, mush the potatoes right inside of the pot and continue to cook the broth.

~ 24. Back to the Borsch Dressing. Add 1 small can of the Tomato Paste to the vegetables. Mix well with the vegetables.

~ 25. Add a little bit of the Olive oil if the vegetables too dry. Salt them by your taste. Mix the mixture thoroughly. Saute for 1 minute.

                So, Borsch Dressing is ready. Take off the heat.
= 26. Cabbage. Cut half of your desired cabbage. Add it to the broth.
 Also add the Borsch Dressing (Beets+Carrots+Onion+Tomato Paste). Mix it well.
If for your taste the Borsch is not to thick, cut and add more cabbage. But remember, the volume of  Cabbage is increased when it is cooked.

= 27. If you have cooked beans, add them to the cooking pot as well.

= 28. Also, you can add cut in half red, yellow or orange pepper. It will give to the Borsch a good flavor as well.

= 29. Add fresh Bay leaves. Salt by your taste.

= 30. Cook on a low heat around 15-20 minutes till the Cabbage is ready.
While cooking you have to mix the Borsch periodically. Try the Cabbage.
The Borsch is ready when the Cabbage is a little bit crunchy, but not too soft.
Tun off the heat. Cover the pot. Leave on the stove to cool. If you have electrical stove, move the pot from the stove heater you have cooked.

= 31. Refrigerate the Borsch when it is completely cold.
P.S. At first, it seems like a multitasking and complex, but actually it is not. I suggest to prepare the Borsch Dressing in advance. It can be done on the day before cooking the Borsch. On the next day you can then finish cooking the Borsch completely.
In fact, cooking Borsch is really rewarding. It is a very nourishing and fulfilling soup. I placed this post during December, Christmas Time is all around us. And the end of the calendar year too. Were all in a hurry. A lot of things to do at the end of the Year. And one thing that we all sacrifice even though do not think about it is our digestion. In this case Borsch is really a great choice.  Actually it is a complete meal, it has protein, good carbs and fiber. It is easy on the digestive system and if you cook a large pot, you always have some good for your health at home. Just warm it up. Borsch can be kept inside of the fridge up to 4 days. It is also interesting to note that Borsch tastes even better the day after. Enjoy :)