Borscht (Ukrainian Beet Soup)

Ingredients

• 150 g beetroot (grated )
• 100 g carrots (grated )
• 100 g white cabbage (grated )
• 100 g white onion (sliced )
• 100 g tomato paste
• 50 g apple cider vinegar
• 20 g sugar
• 60 g sunflower oil
• 35 g salt
• 2.5 L water (or beef stock)
• 350 g oxtail
• 350 g beef shoulder
• 2 medium beetroots (baked in foil then grated)
• 1/2 medium beetroot (raw, finely grated (for color))
• 250 g sour cream
• 2–3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
• 25 grams sunflower oil (for the garlic oil)
• 10 g parsley (chopped )
• 10 g dill (chopped )
• 40 g spring onion (chopped )
• 4 g freshly cracked black pepper
• salt, apple cider vinegar and sugar, to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the oxtail and beef shoulder over hot coals, or sear them hard in the pot, until deeply browned on all sides. That color is where a lot of the soup's flavor comes from, so don't rush it.

2. 2

   Wrap 1½ of the finishing beetroot in foil and set it over the embers, or roast at 200°C / 400°F, turning every 10 minutes until soft all the way through, about 45 minutes. Keep the remaining ½ raw for later, and cool the baked beetroot until you can grate it.

3. 3

   Set the pot over medium-high heat with the sunflower oil, then add the grated beetroot, carrot, cabbage, sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Fry until softened but still slightly raw, so they hold their texture in the finished soup.

4. 4

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for 1 to 2 minutes until it darkens slightly, then add the apple cider vinegar, sugar and the browned meat. Pour in enough water or beef stock to just cover everything, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook low and slow until the meat is meltingly tender and pulls apart easily, about 4 hours. Top up with liquid if the level drops below the ingredients.

5. 5

   While the pot simmers, crush or grate the garlic into the 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil and set it aside. Chop the parsley, dill and spring onion and crack the black pepper, so everything is ready to finish the soup.

6. 6

   When the meat is tender, stir in the grated baked beetroot for earthy sweetness and a subtle smokiness, then stir in the reserved raw grated beetroot, which brings the color back to a deep reddish-purple.

7. 7

   Taste and balance with salt, apple cider vinegar and sugar until it's evenly sweet, sharp and salty. Ladle into bowls and finish each with a dollop of sour cream, a drizzle of garlic oil and a scatter of chopped herbs, spring onion and black pepper.