Russian Borscht

Remember Ruzanna? (See our "An Armenian Afternoon" blog from October.) We were blessed to spend a second afternoon at her home. I was delighted that she agreed to give me her borscht recipe. Enjoy!

1/2 head green cabbage (about 1 pound)

1-1/2 pounds fresh beets

3 T olive oil

1 pound beef, cut into 1/2-inch chunks, optional (I prefer borscht without beef.)

1-1/2 cups chopped onions

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 quarts beef broth

1 14-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 T raw sugar, optional

1 tsp ground black pepper

Salt, to taste

Sour cream and fresh parsley for garnish

1. Discard any wilted or bruised outer cabbage leaves. Cut cabbage into 4 wedges with knife. Slice cabbage wedges crosswise to form shreds.

2. Cut tops off beets; peel with vegetable peeler. Shred beets by hand with large section of metal grater, or use food processor.

3. Heat oil in 10-quart stockpot over medium-high heat until hot. Add beef, if desired; cook and stir till browned.

4. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 3 minutes or until onions are tender.

5. Add cabbage, beets, carrots, broth, tomatoes, lemon juice, sugar, and pepper to stockpot; mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 2 hours.

6. Season to taste with salt. Serve with sour cream and fresh parsley.

Note: 2 medium cubed potatoes can be added as cabbage is cooking. (It is great with potatoes!)