Borsh

The first thing about real Ukrainian Borsh (or Borsch) is that only your Mama can make the best borsh. However, when you can't have your Mama's borsh, and the red menace takes hold of you, you've got to know how to do it yourself.

Here is how:

Ingredients:

(If you can, use only the freshest ingredients. In this recipe I'm going to tell you how to make a fast, affordable borsh)

Two cans of skinless tomatoes in tomato juice
A can of tomato paste
Two cans of broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable stock)
(real borsh is made with real beef)
Onion
3 Beets (or two cans of sliced beets)
Fresh Cabbage
Potato
Carrot
Fresh Parsley
Bay leaf
Salt, pepper, spices

Steps:

Add six or seven cups of cold water to a pot and set on medium heat
Add 2 cans of broth
Add 2 cans of tomatoes (open the can and pour the juice out into the pot, take the tomatoes out of the can and slice them on a cutting board then place into the pot)
Add a table spoon of tomato paste
Add a bay leaf or two
Add salt

Throw in a few black pepper heads
Clean and peal a medium sized onion, throw the whole thing in (don't chop)

Throw in a handful of fresh parsley
Let all that boil and heat

If you are using canned beets:
Open the cans
Pour the juice out into the pot
Take the beets out and cut into quarters
Throw those in

If you are using fresh beets:

I like to boil the beets first before even starting the borsh. But you can also just slice and cut into quarters and throw the raw beets in with all the other ingredients.
Beets can take up to an hour to cook. To check for when they are done: use a thin sharp knife. if it goes through the center of the beet without any resistance the beets are done.

Take a medium sized cabbage:

Cut in half.
Set it on its flat side.
Cut in half again.
Chop into slices (slices should be about 1/4 each)
Throw all that into the pot.

Peal a potato.
Cut into quarters.
chop into small squares.
Add to the pot.

Peal a carrot.

Cut in half lengthwise.

Chop.

Goes in the pot. Be creative with your vegetables. Add a celery for that extra fresh kick.

Stir it all up.
Let boil.

Once it boils: taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Lower the heat and cook until all the ingredients are soft and cooked all the way.
The Cabbage should be completely soft and not crunch or chewy at all.

The borsh should be pretty dense because of all the cabbage and other veggies, this is good. If its too dense, feel free to add a bit of water or broth.

Serve hot. Mix in a teaspoon of sour cream and a nice slice of fresh bread on the side.

The borsh should have that fresh tomato soup taste and be a deep red color. If you add too much beets (which is ok) the color will be more purple than red. Everybody makes theirs different.

*For that real ethnic flavor: make some Garlic Sauce and Dumplings to go along with the Borsh, take a couple vodka shots with that and you’ll feel the full experience. I’ll tell you about the Garlic Dumplings in the next post. Enjoy!