Beet Borscht recipe - straight from Ukraine

There is a saying I know to be true.  "There are as many ways to make borscht as there are Ukrainians." However, my Step-Mom's borscht is my favourite.  

I may be biased.

Each time she has come to visit any of us, she has slaved away for a full day making borscht. We freeze is and spend the next three months eating nothing but and peeing red.

It's totally worth it. 

Everyone can follow a recipe... unless there isn't one.

A few years ago, when I knew she wasn't coming to visit anytime soon, I begged her for the recipe. Her response was "Recipe??"

Yeah. 

Tanya took pity on me though knowing that the last time I cooked for her I simmered the soup I was making all day and, when I was about to serve it, realized I'd had it on the wrong burner and it was cold.

She wrote down the borscht recipe for me. Step by step.

I think she realized that, no matter the recipe, the odds were I was going to mess it up. She would try and make it fool proof.  It's also totally naturally gluten free!!

Tanya's not overly beety beet borscht

Here we go. 
(It's actually super easy. It's the preparing that is time consuming.)

Prepare ahead of time

300-400g of pork (cut into cubes)
1/4 head of cabbage shredded
3 beets diced or shredded (if you like less beets, add 1 or 2 instead. More? Add more.)
3 large potatoes cut in 1/4s (I cut them smaller to be bite sized)
1 medium onion diced
3 med carrots shredded
1 can stewed tomatoes (I use fresh and dice them)
1 can green beans
1 t lemon juice
fresh dill (to taste - I like A LOT of dill)
parsley 
bay leaf

The actual cooking part

In a large sauce pan, put 1 T oil, the onions, and the pork.  

Cook until the meat is fully cooked and the onions are soft.  

Put in 6 cups of water, add the potato -- cook 7 - 10 minutes.  

Add the rest and simmer until fully heated and potatoes are soft.

Serve with a large dollop of sour cream. I use plain Greek yogurt because it tastes like sour cream and it's better for you. Also, I always have it in the house. 


Pretty simple directions, right? 

I still like it best when Tanya makes it for me. Food cooked by a mom is somehow always better!