Mrs. Albina Mislinski’s
Borscht Recipe
Everyone has been asking me for my family recipe for delicious Borscht soup, so here it is.
I have only changed a couple of items from my original family recipe, (like changing white vinegar to balsamic vinegar, vegetable oil to olive oil, and added some sherry) but this is the basic family style.)
After talking to my sister Gail who says she remembers seeing Baba (my grandmother) make it,she says there were only yellow onions in Coniston, and only green cabbage. And only white vinnegar. And only fresh tomatoes not tomato paste. She also says that Baba boiled the ribs in a separate pot, and used some of the broth in the soup. Well, I have done it that way too but pre-cooking them on the charcoal grill tastes better to me - any my wife agrees! And I like the dark rich red color and sweetness of red onions and red cabbage - and I don't need to add sugar like my mom did...
So let's just call this "mostly" my Grandmother's recipe and trust me it comes out fantastic!!!
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Get a BIG pot. I mean a really BIG pot.
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5 or 6 medium to large fresh beets, thoroughly washed, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 large potato or (or sweet potato even better), cut into small pieces OR 2 cups of partially cooked navy beans – I have made it both ways - both good
4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 large red onion, chopped into small cubes
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced to small pieces
1/2 head of red cabbage, chopped into small pieces
4 medium tomatoes chopped
1 full rack of pork ribs. I season with garlic powder, salt and pepper and pre-cook on my charcoal grill for ½ hour, remove and cut into individual ribs with attached meat. Brings a slight smoky flavor to the soup.
(I understand that you can substitute beef shank and it is delicious. – never tried it but will some day.)
8 bay leaves if dry, 4 if fresh
8 cups organic chicken broth (one large cardboard package) If you make your own broth fresh even better.
8 cups of water
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh garlic
2 small cans of tomato paste
2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of cooking sherry
2-4 tablespoons of Balsamic or Red Wine Vinegar (or more to taste) both taste great
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
8 tablespoons of fresh chopped dill (use 4 when you cook it, 4 to sprinkle on top later) Fresh dill is much, much better than dried dill - go find it.
I add a couple of good splashes of MAGGI and Worcestershire sauce for seasoning
1 cup of heavy cream (add just before you end cooking - stir in and the soup will turn pink)
I large container of full fat sour cream (add a few tablespoons to the broth when you add the cream) and a few spoonfuls added to the top of the soup bowls when serving
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Cooking:
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Put the water and chicken broth in the pot.
Add all the ingredients but the cream at the same time.
Cook on low boil for 3-4 hours – stirring frequently.
After about 2 hours the meat will fall of the bones.
It will shred on its own to small pieces as you stir.
Poke around the bottom of the pot with tongs and remove the bare pork rib bones as you find them.
Serve in shallow Polish Pottery bowls.
Add a couple of dabs of sour cream on top, sprinkle more fresh dill.
Serve with fresh dark rye bread heavily buttered.
You will be in heaven…
