Latvian borscht(AKA Ukrainian Borshch)

1Steve's Note:

This fabulous, many layered, complex borshch is compliments of Sandor Fenyvesi, an air traffic controller in Budapest, Hungary, who was educated at a special school for navigating officers and air traffic controllers in Riga, Latvia, when he was 18 years old and learned this soup while there. Serve this authentic Ukrainian soup hot to 6-8 people as a substantial first course or as a main course.

• Total Time: 28 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 24 hrs
• Cook Time: 4 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 8 cups beef stock
• ½ head cabbage , finely shredded (or equivalent amount of spinach)
• 3 medium potatoes , cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 large red beet , shredded
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon bacon fat
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium onions , finely chopped
• 2 peeled tomatoes , chopped (4 canned tomatoes are fine)
• 1 carrot , sliced
• 1 parsley roots or ½ parsnip
• 6 peppercorns
• 3 allspice berries
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 head garlic , peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons bacon fat
• fresh parsley , chopped

Garnish

• sour cream

Directions:

1. Heat the stock in a large soup pot, add cabbage and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime, mix the beets, vinegar, bacon fat, sugar, and tomatoes in a saucepan and cook gently, covered, for about 5 minutes.
3. Set aside.
4. Then, in another small pan, heat the butter, mix in the onion, carrot, and parsley root (or parsnip), and braise.
5. When the cabbage and potatoes are finished simmering, add the beet mixture, the onion mixture, the peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves--and cook another 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the chopped garlic, the remaining bacon fat, and the chopped parsley.
7. Then turn the heat down to a very low simmer, lightly cover the pot, and simmer very slowly for about 4½ hours.
8. Turn off the heat, let cool, and allow to ripen for about 12-18 hours.
9. When ready to serve, reheat gently then ladle into bowls.
10. Top each with a teaspoonful of sour cream and serve with a slice of dark rye bread.

Reviews

[CountryLady]

I had never tried Borscht before but my husband kept saying how much he liked it - so I finally broke down & made it for him. It was a lot of work & took a long time & was rather sweet for my tastes - but my hubby really enjoyed it. I will probably make this once every winter just to keep him happy!!

[L.A. Stewart - way upstate N.Y.]

This is so authentic! Excellent! LA :-)