Borshch

(Russian beet soup)

Yield: 4-6 servings

Basic Steps: Sauté → Simmer → Garnish

Heat the butter or oil in a large soup pot. Sauté the onions till translucent. Add the beets and and tomatoes and stir to heat through. Add the stock or water and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Taste the broth, and adjust the amount of vinegar or sugar as needed. Broth should be lightly tart-sweet, but not overwhelmingly so.
Simmer for 45-50 minutes till vegetables are cooked yet still retain their texture. Serve hot or cold in bowls garnished with a dollop of sour cream (smetana) and a sprinkling of dill.

For a borshch with meat, add some chopped beef brisket, ham, sausages, beef frankfurters, or some pork ribs to the simmering soup. Use about 2-3 cups total. Simmer until the meat is tender.
For a variety of vegetables, sauté some chopped carrots, celery, celery root, parsley root or mushrooms with the onions. Add some shredded cabbage, chunks of potato, parsnip, fresh green beans or cooked white beans to the simmering soup. Use about 2-3 cups total.
Other ingredients used in place of vinegar to add a sour flavor include lemon juice, pickle juice, rhubarb juice or fermented beet kvas.
Use rubber gloves when peeling and grating the beets to avoid staining your hands. The beets can be grated on a box grater, in a food processor, or you can cut them into a small dice if you prefer.

Borshch (борщ) is one of the classic soups of the Russian household. Ukrainians, however, swear that it was invented by them. Regardless, there are countless variations throughout the Slavic region of Europe, both with meat and without. Most, but not all, have a base of beets.
Some say a true Ukrainian borshch must have beans.
Also spelled borsh, borsch, borsht (with the t silent). Called barscz by the Polish.