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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 12 |
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If you never encountered a great thing that is borscht, you need to try now. If you did cook borscht before and are looking for a different way to do it, this is definitely one way to try. Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs lamb - any meat is good, bones will work great for flavor |
1 very large or 2 smaller beets |
2 large carrots |
2 large potatoes |
4 onions (3+1) |
1 head of garlic + 3-4 cloves of garlic |
1 large green bell pepper |
2-3 stalks of celery |
3/4 head of green cabbage |
1 small can of tomato paste |
1 lemon |
salt, herbs and spices to taste |
Directions:
1. Heat a stock pot over medium heat
2. Cut lamb into large chunks and sear on all sides on the bottom of the pot, until pleasantly browned and don't stick to the bottom anymore
3. Pour water over the meat until completely covered and then some - about 2 inches above the meat
4. Bring to boil
5. Toss in 3 UNPEELED onions and 1 head of garlic (wash them first, of course)
6. Add salt to taste
7. Reduce heat and let meat cook completely, for about 1-1/2 hours.
8. Remove meat and set aside
9. Discard the cooked onions and garlic
10. Reserve all the stock; you will be using the pot in the next step.
11. Peel and chop all the root vegetables in a uniform way - I prefer them julienne (thin french fry thickness), but coarse grater is fine as well
12. If you are using a grater, dice the potatoes, and chop the onions, otherwise, julienne them as well.
13. Slice bell peppers, celery, and cabbage pretty coarsely (1/4 inch)
14. Heat olive oil on the bottom of the pot.
15. Throw in all the root veggies, onions, potatoes, bell peppers, celery and sweat them until they just start to let the juices out, for about 3-4 minutes, constantly tossing and turning them, taking care not to burn.
16. Pour lamb stock over the veggies
17. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender
18. Add in the cabbage. Cook until cabbage is translucent, but still somewhat crunchy - for about 5-7 minutes.
19. Empty tomato paste into a mixing bowl, add a ladle full of borscht and whisk until smooth.
20. Pour tomato paste mix back into the borscht and mix well.
21. Add salt, pepper and your favorite herbs to taste - I add dried parsley.
22. Turn off the heat
23. Mince the remaining garlic and add to the pot
24. Finally, squeeze 1 lemon into the pot
25. Cut the reserved meat into 1 inch pieces, removing the bones, if there were any.
26. Toss the meat into the borscht.
27. Serve very hot with tablespoon of sour cream.
28. True borscht connoisseurs enjoy it with a slice of sour dough bread, with a fresh garlic clove rubbed onto the crust with some salt.
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