Uncle Bills Russian Doukhobour Borscht Recipes

RUSSIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Cook beets, carrots and onion in the 3 cans beef broth for 20 minutes.
• Add cabbage and butter, and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes.
• Season to taste.
• Stir in lemon juice.
• Now let it sit (but you don't have to), for an hour or so. Reheat or leave at temperature and serve with sour cream.
• This is better the next day!

TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a heavy stockpot, heat oil over high heat. Add the stew meat and sear until nicely browned. Remove from pot and set aside; immediately add the pork sausage, and stir, breaking it up into pieces while it browns. When sausage has browned nicely, return the stew meat to the pot, as well as the tomatoes, garlic, onion and beets. Add the beef stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. After 2 hours, add the carrots and potatoes. Simmer, covered, for 1 more hour, then add the cabbage, 1/2 cup of the dill, and the red wine vinegar (and taste for salt and pepper addition at this time). Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes. To serve, ladle soup into a bowl and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.

UNCLE BILL'S RUSSIAN/DOUKHOBOUR BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a large (8 quart) stock pot, add water and bring to boil.
• Add 1/2 cup of mashed tomatoes, quartered potatoes, chopped carrots, chopped onions, salt and beets and return to boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until potatoes are just cooked.
• Meanwhile, begin to prepare all vegetables.
• When potatoes are cooked, remove with a slotted spoon into a mixing bowl.
• Add 3 tablespoons butter to potatoes, mash well.
• Stir in whipping cream, mixing well to incorporate; set aside.
• In a large frying pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter, add chopped onions and saute' until just softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add remaining mashed tomatoes and simmer uncovered until reduced to a creamy consistency.
• The sauce will be thickened.
• Cover, reduce heat to keep warm.
• In another large frying pan, melt the remainder 3 tablespoons butter, add 4 cups of shredded cabbage and on medium heat, fry until softened and very lightly browned, about 15 minutes, DO NOT BURN.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• To the cooking pot, add cubed potatoes and 1/2 cup of tomato-onion mixture.
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add cauliflower and celery and continue to boil gently until potatoes are just tender.
• Stir in remaining 4 cups of raw shredded cabbage and return soup to boil.
• Reduce heat; stir in mashed potatoes, fried cabbage and remaining tomato-onion mixture.
• Add diced green and red peppers, freshly ground black pepper, dill weed, lemon juice.
• Return to boil and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Cover and reduce heat to just warm and let borscht sit for 30 minutes for flavors to blend.
• Remove beets and discard or eat them separately.
• The beets are for coloring only.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• If borscht is too sweet to your liking, stir in some additional lemon juice.
• If desired, serve with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
• Refrigerate any unused portions.
• Traditionally, medium or sharp cheddar cheese pieces and fresh bread or buns are served with the borscht.

RUSSIAN GREEN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Place beef in a large pot or Dutch oven.
• Add water, beef base, salt and pepper.
• Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer 1 hour.
• Add parsnips, carrots, leeks, celery and potatoes.
• Cover and simmer 30 minutes more, or until meat is tender.
• Add sorrel and spinach and simmer until greens are tender, 5-10 minutes more.
• Taste and add sugar if it's too sour.
• Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with sour cream.

RUSSIAN BORSCHT

Steps:

• Cover the meat with the cold water in a large stock pot.
• Add the salt and bring slowly to the boiling point.
• Skim the top of the water and discard.
• Cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours.
• Remove meat and set aside to cool.
• Add the onions and beets to the stock pot.
• Cook for about 20 minutes.
• Add the potato, celery, and carrot.
• Continue cooking for about 15minutes.
• Meanwhile, after the meat is cool, shred it and discard any fat or bones. Add the shredded pork to the stock pot.
• Add the cabbage and cook til tender.
• Be careful not to overcook.
• Stir in the tomato soup and garlic.
• Blend the flour with 3 TBS. of cold water.
• Add some of the soup liquid to the flour and stir till smooth.
• Add to the borscht.
• Add the beet kvas and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to the boiling point.
• Flavor with dill weed.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream.