Ingredients
- Beef Shin - 1kg
- Onion - 1
- Bay Leaf - 1
- Potatoes - 2.5kg
- Sunflower Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Onion - 1 Diced
- Carrots - 1
- Beetroot - 200g
- Red Pepper - 1 chopped
- Tinned Tomatos - 200g
- Prunes - 6
- White Cabbage - 1/2
- Kidney Beans - 400g
- Creme Fraiche - 100 ml
- Dill - Bunch
- Crusty Bread - To serve
Instructions
step 1
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.
step 2
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.
step 3
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.
step 4
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.