Borsch

Method6 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel the stock onion (1) and leave it whole. Place all the beef shin (1 kg), whole stock onion and bay leaf (1) in a large pan with two litres cold water, lightly seasoned with the initial stock salt. Bring gently to a simmer and cook over very low heat until the beef falls apart easily, starting to check after ninety minutes; tough shin can take up to three hours. Skim surface scum from time to time.

   Simmer shin until falling-apart tender · 180 minUses 1 kg fatty beef shin in large chunks · 1 onion, peeled and left whole for stock · 1 Bay Leaf · 2 litres cold water for stock · Salt to lightly season the two litres stock water

2. 2

   Step 2: Check the shin is very tender. Break larger cooked pieces apart into the broth, then lift out and discard the whole stock onion. Keep the meat and broth together.

   Uses All the cooked meat and broth

3. 3

   Step 3: Peel and chop all the measured potatoes (2.2 kg). Add them to the cooked beef broth, season with the separate potato-broth salt and pepper, and cook for 10–15 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, heat all the sunflower oil (2 tablespoons) in a separate large deep frying pan for the vegetables.

   Cook potatoes · 15 minUses All the beef and broth · 2.2 kg potatoes, peeled and chopped in step 3 · Salt to season the beef broth and potatoes, to taste · Black pepper for the beef broth and potatoes, to taste · 2 tablespoons Sunflower Oil

4. 4

   Step 4: Peel and finely dice the separate pan onion (1), and peel and roughly grate the carrot (1). Cook all of them in the heated sunflower oil over medium heat, stirring until the carrot is soft and only just starting to caramelise.

   Uses All the heated two tablespoons oil · 1 onion, peeled and finely diced in step 4 · 1 carrot, peeled and roughly grated in step 4

5. 5

   Step 5: Peel the raw beetroot (200 g) and cut into matchsticks. Add all of it to the onion-and-carrot pan and cook about five minutes, stirring. Add the chopped optional red bell pepper (1) and cook two more minutes if using. Add all the canned tomatoes (200 g) and pitted prunes (6), increase the heat and let the pan liquid boil until slightly reduced. Pour the complete cooked vegetable mixture into the beef-and-potato soup.

   Cook beetroot before optional pepper and tomatoes · 5 minUses All the cooked pan vegetables · 200 g raw beetroot, peeled and cut into matchsticks in step 5 · 1 chopped red bell pepper, if using · 200 g canned chopped tomatoes (half a 400 g can) · 6 pitted prunes · All the beef-potato broth

6. 6

   Step 6: Shred the half cabbage and drain and rinse the canned cooked kidney beans. Add all the cabbage and drained beans to the combined soup and cook for 7–10 minutes until cabbage and potatoes are tender and beans are hot. Remove the bay leaf. Wash and chop the dill. Serve four to six portions with all the measured crème fraîche divided between bowls, chopped dill and separately supplied crusty bread.

   Cook cabbage beans · 10 minUses The complete combined soup · Half a white cabbage, shredded now · One 400 g can of cooked beans, drained and rinsed · 100 ml Creme Fraiche · Half a bunch dill, washed and chopped now · To serve Crusty Bread