Katya's Ukrainian Borscht

[Ron G.]

I guess I'd better post this so everybody'll get off the haggis thing.

This is a wonderful cold weather treat, is quite filling (as are most European foods), is easy to prepare and very good if you're trying to whittle some of that holday bulge off...You know...the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, all the sweets and, of course, all that Robbie Burns day haggis.

I had a friend in California that I worked with for about a year in 1991, named Ekaterina or Katya or Kate. She was from a place called Kharkov in the Ukraine, but came to the U.S. to get her degree at the University of California at Davis. We mostly worked together because we were the only ones there that smoked, so we chose to travel together a lot. She's quite a cook and here is her Borscht recipe.

It was an event photography business and we played around with the cameras a lot. I found this very old photo of Kate.

Katya

2 lbs stew meat

4 cups shredded beets

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 large onion all chopped up

1 stalk of celery all chopped up

1 carrot all chopped up

1 can beef broth

1 can tomato paste

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon dill weed

1 tablespoon dill seed

1 clove garlic

4 tablespoons sugar (or Splenda)

a little rosemary

a couple bay leaves

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon white pepper

Enough salt to make it taste good

Cook the meat up like you would chili or something and then put all rest of the stuff and some water in the pot and cook it for about an hour or so. Be sure to open the cans first. If you cook it too much, you'll lose the pretty red color. I don't know why but you will.

Put a blob of plain yogurt or sour cream in a bowl and then pour your borscht over it to serve it. A slice of Russian black bread goes real good with it.

Okay, I know a lot of people don't care much for beets and boiled cabbage makes a lot of people fart, but try it anyway, you'll be surprised how good it is.

[likeaneagle]

This recipe is the red borscht..I prefer the white borscht..my sis's boyfriend was a Uki and he made it for us alot..yummm,thx

[bowtwi]

I've had the pleasure of Ron's borscht - it was a delightful welcome after a 6 hour drive.

Thanks for posting the recipe, Ron! I just may make it sometime!

Likey - what is it about the white you prefer, if I might ask?

[likeaneagle]

I've had the pleasure of Ron's borscht - it was a delightful welcome after a 6 hour drive.

Thanks for posting the recipe, Ron! I just may make it sometime!

Likey - what is it about the white you prefer, if I might ask?

It is a creamy base,Im not found of beets..they still use cabbage a dill also caraway as well..

btw, Pumperknickle bread or dark rye is a must with this..:)

Ron, do you have the white recipe?