Borscht (Beetroot Soup)

Ingredients

• •2 pounds shin of beef with bone
• •1 carrot
• •1 onion
• •2 potatoes
• •1 stick of celery
• •bay leaf
• •1/4 white cabbage
• •1 1/2 pounds raw beetroots
• •parsley
• •thyme
• •1 tablespoon butter
• •1 tablespoon vinegar
• •1 tablespoon sugar
• •1/2 pint sour cream
• •Salt
• •freshly ground black pepper
• •3 pints water

Directions

1. 1Place the water, and beef, in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and remove the scum.
2. 2Add an onion, thyme, bay leaf, carrot, parsley and celery and simmer for 2 hours.
3. 3Strain the stock, take meat off the bone, and marrow from the bone, add to the stock.
4. 4Peel the beetroot, cut all but two in pieces.
5. 5Peel and cube the potatoes, shred the cabbage.
6. 6Add butter to a frying pan, add potatoes and cabbage, fry until golden.
7. 7Add to stock along with chopped beetroot, bring to the boil. Cook everything until tender.
8. 8Add vinegar and sugar, season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. 9Grate the remaining beetroots, rub through a sieve to make a red juice.
10. 10Reduce heat of stock and add it to the main mixture. Do not boil, but constantly stir it.
11. 11Pour the soup into soup bowls and add some cream, serve immediately