Yield: 6 Servings
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 2 tablespoons | Butter |
| ½ cup | Onions; finely chopped |
| 1½ pounds | Beets, (about 5 cups) cut into strips |
| ¼ cup | Red wine vinegar |
| 1 teaspoon | Sugar |
| 2 \N | Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped |
| 2 teaspoons | Salt |
| \N \N | Black pepper; freshly ground |
| 2 quarts | Beef stock |
| ½ pounds | White cabbage, quartered, |
| \N \N | Cored; coarsely shredded |
| ¼ pounds | Boiled ham cut into 1-in cubes |
| ¼ pounds | All-beef frankfurters cut in 1/2-in rounds |
| 1 pounds | Boiled brisket from the stoc cut into 1-in cubes |
| 4 \N | Sprig parsley, |
| \N \N | Tied together w/1 bay leaf |
| ½ cup | Dill or parsley finely chopped |
| 1 cup | Sour cream |
In an 8-quart pot, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onions ans, stirring frequently, cook 3 to 5 mins, or until they are soft but not brown. Stir in beets, then add the wine vinegar, sugar, chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp of salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
Pour in ½ cup of the stock, cover the pan and simmer undisturbed for 50 mins. Pour the remaining stock into the pot and add the shredded cabbage. Bring to a boil, then stir in the ham, frankfurters and beef. Submerge the tied parsley and bay leaf in the soup, add another tsp of salt, and simmer, partially covered, for ½ hr.
Transfer to borshch to a large tureen and sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley. Accompany the soup with a bowl of sour cream, to be added to the borshcht at the discretion of each diner.