Borscht

When we hosted last summer we had a chaperone stay who makes great borscht.  Snezhana helped her cook and I watched just cause it was neat watching S cook (she was pretty excited with helping) and I learn by seeing.  I really liked it and enjoyed the borscht I had in Ukraine though it honestly wasn't as good.

The chaperone had given us the recipe and I decided that I would try it last night.  Dennis loved it... he was smiles the entire time eating it.  So despite my other 3 kids not being too happy with it, all but one tried it... but I figure if Dennis liked it I must have done alright.  Our guest took some home and my wife & I liked it... my wife actually asked me to make it Saturday for our party (supper 8 with folks from church).  I'm going to make some varenyky which Dennis definitely likes from looking at pictures... probably with potatoes.

Anyways, the recipe I got had a few holes in it so I figured I'd post what I actually did since it wasn't a disaster.  It took 3hrs to make though 2hrs of that was just having the pork boil in water.  Many of you reading the blog have kids from eastern Europe and might enjoy it also.  We served with garlic rolls which I admit I cheated and bought from the store... I'll make fresh ones when I actually don't have to work the day I make it :)

2lbs pork (thick sliced boneless or pork chops with bone)
8-10 potatoes
1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 14.5oz cans of sliced beets
1 yellow onion
2 large carrots
half sweet red pepper
half head of green cabbage
fresh dill (or dried if fresh unavailable)
sour cream

Place pork in 8qt pot and fill slightly over half way with water.  Bring water to boil and then let simmer for 2hrs.

Cube potatoes and place in pan with water and pork.  Add salt.

Thinly slice onion and cook until golden in a 2qt pot or very large pan with a small amount of vegetable oil.  Once golden add thinly sliced carrots and red pepper.

When the carrots and pepper are cooked, thinly slice the beets, and add the beets and tomatoes.  Cook 10min while periodically stirring.

Add vegetable/tomato mixture to the pork/water.  Chop the cabbage and add that with the dill and some black pepper.  Cook 10min or until boiling while periodically stirring.  Verify the potatoes are properly cooked before serving.

Serve in bowls with sour cream.


NOTE: Our Ukrainian host girls wanted to dice everything instead of slice which made a more consistent soup.  In having spend nearly 2mo in Ukraine and ordering borscht every where I went, I've never seen it diced... but it is a variation if you want to try it.