Classic Russian Borscht

Ingredients

• 1 3/8 l Water
• 840 ml Homemade beef stock
• 210 g Kidney beans, can, drained and rinsed
• 1.8 pcs Beets, throughly washed
• 1.8 pcs Potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1.2 pcs Carrots, grated
• 5/8 pcs Onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 head Cabbage, shredded
• 3 tbsp Tomato sauce
• 2 3/8 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 3/8 tbsp Lemon juice, fresh
• 1.2 pcs Bay leaves, whole
• 5/8 tbsp Dill weed, fresh, chopped
• 1/8 tsp Black pepper, ground

Method

1. Fill a large soup pot with water.
2. Clean beets and place in water.
3. Cover and boil for about 1 hour.
4. Once you can smoothly pierce the beets with a butter knife, remove from the water and set aside to cool.
5. Keep the water.
6. Add potatoes in same water and cook for 15-20 minutes.
7. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and carrots; cook until soft for 5-7 minutes.
8. Stir in tomato sauce when they are almost done cooking.
9. Thinly shred ½ head of cabbage and add it to the pot when potatoes are halfway done.
10. Next, peel and slice the beets into matchsticks then add them back to the pot.
11. Add stock, lemon juice, pepper, bay leaves, and can of kidney beans to the pot; stir in cooked vegetables (onion and carrots), along with chopped dill.
12. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the cabbage is done.
13. Serve while still hot, with a dollop of sour cream.