Red Borscht Soup

Name: Red Borscht Soup (Czerwony Barszcz)
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 1 kg/2¼ lb beef bones; 1 leek, roughly chopped; 1 large onion, roughly chopped; 2 slices of celeriac or parsnip; 2 slices of celeriac or parsnip; 2 carrots, roughly chopped; 5 ml/1 tsp salt; 5-6 dried wild mushrooms, rinsed and soaked in warm water for 30 minutes; 5-6 dried wild mushrooms, rinsed and soaked in warm water for 30 minutes; juice of ½ lemon (optional); pinch of sugar (optional); 175 ml/16 fl oz/¾ cup dry red wine (optional); 1 garlic clove, crushed (optional); chopped fresh dill, to garnish; Dumplings Stuffed with Mushrooms, to serve; 1.8 kg/4 lb raw red beetroots (beets); 1.5 litres/2½ pints/6¼ cups boiled water, allowed to cool until just lukewarm; 1 slice wholegrain (whole-wheat) bread; 4-5 garlic cloves, peeled; 10 black peppercorns; 4-5 allspice berries; 2-3 bay leaves

Czerwony Barszcz

Preparation info

Serves
4-6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Food and Cooking of Poland

By Ewa Michalik

Published 2008

About

Borscht made with red beetroot has been an intrinsic part of Polish cuisine for centuries, with the oldest known recipe dating back to the 16th century. There are two versions: borscht for the Christmas Eve feast, and this one for Easter made with fermented juice.

Ingredients

1 kg/2¼ lb beef bones
1 leek, roughly chopped

Europe
Poland
Eastern Europe
Christmas
Soup

Method

To make the fermented beetroot juice, carefully wash the beetroots, then peel and slice thinly. Place them in a large glass jar or a bowl and cover completely with the lukewarm water.
Place the bread on top, then add the garlic, peppercorns, allsp