Russian Borscht

Contributed by Catsrecipes Y-Group

Ingredients

• 1 cup navy beans, dry
• 2½ lb beef, lean
• ½ lb slab bacon
• 10 cups cold water
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 whole peppercorns
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp parsley, dried
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 large red onion
• 1 tsp salt (optional)
• 8 beets for soup
• 2 small beets
• 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
• 2 large leeks, sliced
• 3 medium potatoes, cut into eighths
• 1 can (1 lb 13 oz) tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 lb kielbasa (optional)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• ½ cup sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. Cover beans with water and allow to soak overnight, cook until tender, drain, set aside.
2. Place beef, bacon and water in large soup pot, bring to a boil.
3. Skim fat from surface.
4. Add bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, parsley, carrot, celery, onion and salt.
5. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 1½ hours.
6. Scrub beets for soup and cook in boiling water until tender, about 45 minutes, drain and discard water, cool.
7. Peel and cut each beet into eighths.
8. Scrub small beets, grate and cover with water to soak.
9. Remove meat from soup, set aside.
10. Strain soup into another pot and add cooked beets, cabbage, leeks, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, beef and bacon.
11. Bring to a boil and simmer 45 minutes.
12. Cut kielbasa into chunks and add with navy beans to soup.
13. Simmer 20 minutes more.