Borscht at home: a patient cook's guide

Borscht is a beloved soup across Eastern Europe, made in many forms from home to home, and it is one of the great meals of a cold day. The pot looks like a lot of chopping, and it is, but most of the time is spent simmering while you do something else. This is a version you can follow on a quiet Sunday.

It serves 6 to 8 and tastes better the next day.

What goes in

The broth:

• 1 kg beef shank or short ribs with bones (or skip for the vegetarian version below)
• 2.5 L cold water
• 1 onion, halved
• 1 bay leaf and a few peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt

The vegetables:

• 3 medium beets, peeled and grated or cut into thin matchsticks
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp vinegar or the juice of half a lemon
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Oil for frying, fresh dill and sour cream to serve

Step one: the broth

Put the meat, halved onion, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim off the foam, then partly cover and cook for about 1.5 to 2 hours until the meat is tender. Lift out the meat, shred it, and strain the broth if you like it clear. Discard the onion.

Step two: the fry

This is the step that gives borscht depth. Warm a few tablespoons of oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the diced onion for 5 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for 5 more. Add the beets, tomato paste and a splash of vinegar. Add a ladle of broth, cover and cook gently for about 15 minutes until the beets begin to soften.

The vinegar matters. Acid keeps beets bright red, so skipping it can leave you with a brownish soup.

Step three: assemble

Bring the broth back to a simmer. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cabbage and the beet mixture. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Return the meat to the pot, add the garlic, and taste. It should be a balance of sweet, sour and salty. Add salt, a pinch of sugar or a little more lemon until it sings.

Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for at least 20 minutes.

Vegetarian version

Skip the meat and make a vegetable broth: simmer a halved onion, a carrot, a celery stalk, a handful of dried mushrooms, a bay leaf and some parsley stems in 2.5 L of water for 45 minutes, then strain. Add a can of rinsed white beans in step three for body. Finish with an extra spoon of oil for richness.

Serving

Ladle into warm bowls. Add a spoonful of sour cream (or plain yogurt, or a dairy-free alternative), a pinch of chopped dill, and a slice of dark rye bread. Some households serve a boiled egg or garlic bread beside the soup. Others add a spoon of horseradish. All are right.

Making it ahead

Cool the soup quickly and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. It keeps for three to four days, and it freezes well without the potatoes, which turn grainy. Reheat until steaming hot.

What can go wrong

• Brown soup. Add the acid early with the beets, and do not boil them hard.
• Fatty broth. Chill it and lift the fat off the top.
• Mushy vegetables. Add the cabbage and potatoes in stages, not all at once.
• Flat flavour. Salt, then acid, then a pinch of sugar. Taste after each.
• Staining. Beets will colour your cutting board, hands and sleeves. Wear an apron and, if you like, gloves.

Take your time. Borscht rewards patience, and whoever you share it with will notice. For more dishes from kitchens around the world, browse our around the world section.