Rote-Bete-Suppe (Borschtsch)

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 1 Carrot
• 1 stalk Celery
• 1 kg soup bones
• 750 g beef for cooking (e.g., shoulder)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 1 tsp juniper berries
• 1 bay leaf
• 200 g parsnip
• 1 Carrot
• 500 g beetroot
• 2 onions
• 1 Garlic clove
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp vinegar
• a pinch sugar
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• 200 g cabbage
• 2 tbsp Sour cream
• parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel and halve the onion. Peel and slice the carrot. Wash, trim, and cut the celery into pieces. Rinse the soup bones cold and bring them together with the beef, onion, carrots, celery, salt, peppercorns, juniper berries, and bay leaf to about 1.5 liters of water; bring to a boil. Simmer gently over low heat for about 1.5 hours.

2. 2.

   For the filling, peel and dice the parsnip. Peel and slice the carrot. Peel and cut the beetroot into sticks. Dice the onions and finely chop the garlic. Remove the meat from the broth, trim off fat and sinew, and cut it into strips or cubes. Strain the broth through a sieve.

3. 3.

   In a large pot heat the butter; sauté the onions and garlic for about 3 minutes while stirring. Add celery, carrot, and beetroot and cook together for another 3 minutes. Pour in enough broth to cover the vegetables, add vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, and let simmer gently over low heat for about 30 minutes.

4. 4.

   Clean and finely shred or slice the cabbage into thin strips. Add it to the pot with the beetroot mixture, return the meat, pour more broth until everything is covered again, and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add additional broth if needed.

5. 5.

   Season with vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve on plates topped with sour cream and parsley garnish.