Hearty Beef and Beetroot Borscht

Name: Hearty Beef and Beetroot Borscht
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Ukrainian
Ingredients: 1kg beef shin; 2 brown onions (1 whole, 1 diced); 1 dried bay leaf; 600g potatoes, cubed; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 large carrot, diced; 200g beetroot, sliced into batons; 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped; 200g tinned chopped tomatoes; 6 pitted prunes, roughly chopped; 1/2 white cabbage, shredded; 1 tin (400g) red kidney beans, drained; 100ml crème fraîche, to serve; Small bunch fresh dill, chopped

Rich, warming Ukrainian soup packed with melting beef shin, earthy beetroots and fragrant fresh dill.

150 min serves 6 Medium Watch

Ingredients

1kg beef shin1kg

2 brown onions (1 whole, 1 diced)1kg

1 dried bay leaf10g

600g potatoes, cubed2.5kg

2 tbsp sunflower oil1L

1 large carrot, diced500g

200g beetroot, sliced into batons250g

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped1 pack

200g tinned chopped tomatoes400g

6 pitted prunes, roughly chopped250g

1/2 white cabbage, shredded1 pack

1 tin (400g) red kidney beans, drained400g

100ml crème fraîche, to serve300ml

Small bunch fresh dill, chopped25g

Method

To make the stock, put the meat, whole onion, bay leaf and 2 litres of lightly salted cold water in a large saucepan. Cook over a very low heat for 1 hr 30 mins or until the beef shin is soft and falls apart easily – this can take up to 3 hrs. Skim off the scum with a spoon from time to time. Break up any larger pieces of beef into the broth, remove the whole onion and discard.
Add the potatoes to the borscht, season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the diced onion and carrot, and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the carrot is soft and is about to start caramelising.
Add the beetroot and cook for around 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, if using, and cook for another 2 mins, then add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, then increase the heat and boil to reduce slightly, before adding everything to the borscht.
Add the shredded cabbage and the kidney beans, and cook for 7-10 mins or until tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, lots of chopped dill and some crusty bread.

Cost to cook

serves 6 · I have the cupboard staples

Mostly estimated prices. Full-pack shop cost · about £14.87 of it is what this recipe actually uses.

Find it in store

Search the ingredients at your stores:

Tesco Asda

£18.11 est. · serves 6

Ingredients

1kg beef shin1kg

2 brown onions (1 whole, 1 diced)1kg

1 dried bay leaf10g

600g potatoes, cubed2.5kg

2 tbsp sunflower oil1L

1 large carrot, diced500g

200g beetroot, sliced into batons250g

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped1 pack

200g tinned chopped tomatoes400g

6 pitted prunes, roughly chopped250g

1/2 white cabbage, shredded1 pack

1 tin (400g) red kidney beans, drained400g

100ml crème fraîche, to serve300ml

Small bunch fresh dill, chopped25g

Method

To make the stock, put the meat, whole onion, bay leaf and 2 litres of lightly salted cold water in a large saucepan. Cook over a very low heat for 1 hr 30 mins or until the beef shin is soft and falls apart easily – this can take up to 3 hrs. Skim off the scum with a spoon from time to time. Break up any larger pieces of beef into the broth, remove the whole onion and discard.

Add the potatoes to the borscht, season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the diced onion and carrot, and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the carrot is soft and is about to start caramelising.

Add the beetroot and cook for around 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, if using, and cook for another 2 mins, then add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, then increase the heat and boil to reduce slightly, before adding everything to the borscht.

Add the shredded cabbage and the kidney beans, and cook for 7-10 mins or until tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, lots of chopped dill and some crusty bread.