A hearty Ukrainian borsch — beef shin simmered into a rich broth with beetroot, cabbage, potato and beans, served with sour cream, dill and crusty bread.
- 1kg Beef Shin
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2.5kg Potatoes
- 2 tablespoons Sunflower Oil
- 1 Diced Onion
- 1 Carrots
- 200g Beetroot
- 1 chopped Red Pepper
- 200g Tinned Tomatos
- 6 Prunes
- 1/2 White Cabbage
- 400g Kidney Beans
- 100 ml Creme Fraiche
- Bunch Dill
- To serve Crusty Bread
Video
Preparation
- For the stock, put the beef, whole onion, bay leaf and 2 litres of lightly salted cold water in a large saucepan and cook over very low heat for 1 hour 30 minutes (up to 3 hours), until the beef is soft and falls apart, skimming off any scum from time to time. Break up any larger pieces of beef in the broth, then remove and discard the whole onion.
- Add the potatoes, season well, and cook for 10–15 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large deep frying pan and cook the diced onion and carrot over medium heat, stirring, until the carrot is soft and about to caramelise.
- Add the beetroot and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the red pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, increase the heat to reduce slightly, then add everything to the borsch.
- Add the shredded cabbage and kidney beans and cook for 7–10 minutes until tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, plenty of chopped dill, and some crusty bread.
