RUSSIAN-Red Borscht inspired by Russian Byzantine style

Images of Russia can include cold winters, stiff Vodka and hardy soups. To complete the vision, we cannot ignore the ornate details of the Byzantine style reflecting the artistry of its stoic people. Tracked back to the Middle Ages, Byzantine architecture presents massive dome ceilings perched high above and adorned in elaborate images highlighted in gold. That round shape of the dome’s interior made good use of mosaic tiles, or was it the other way around? Her Ukrainian mother, a chef, and the Byzantine style of “RUSSIA” inspired Vera’s robust comfort food ‘Red Borscht’. Na zdrovie!

RUSSIAN – RED BORSCHT

Prepare Red Beets and Beef Shanks, first.

Beef Shanks:

Preheat Oven to 300 degrees. 1.) Pat dry, Cover Beef Shank with flour, add olive oil or butter and brown the beef shank on the stovetop 3-4 minutes per side, flip once, 6-8 minutes total. 2.) Oil any oven pan. 3.) Place layer of sliced white onions on bottom of the oven pan. 4.) Place beef shank on top of that. 5.) Add beef broth to just touch the bottom of the beef shank. 8.) Cover with oven proof lid, or, aluminum. 7.) Cook Slow-n-Low for 3 hours, until meat falls off the bone. 7.) Set a timer, and Check in on it and Marinate every hour. Add more beef broth if the pan dries out.

Red Beets:

In large pot, add enough water to cover the beets. Get it heating up. Meanwhile, wash the beets. Place into large pot of water. Bring to boil. On medium-medium high, Boil for 40-45 minutes. When done, save the water. Remove beets from pot onto a plate or bowl, cool. In the sink, easily peel off skin with kitchen gloves on, never ‘washing’ or ‘rinsing’ the beet itself with water. Coarsley cube the Beets. Place back into the water used for boiling. Add Beef Stock. Slowly, start to heat again.

Cut up all vegetables into bit sizes. Remove beef from bones, cut into bit sizes. Add all to beets. Boil for 20 minutes.

To Serve:

Ladle into deep bowls. Garnish with sour cream, fresh cut dill. Best eaten with dark bread, and shot of vodka on the side.

Ingredients

4 – Red Beets

1 – Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 – small Onion

2-3 – Stalks Celery

1 – Tablespoon Flour

1 can 16 oz. – Crushed tomatoes or chopped stewed tomatoes

6 cups – Beef Stock (advertise which is my favorite. Use low salt, can always add more if you want it.)

3 – carrots

3 Equivalency of Potatoes – I prefer the small ones that have buttery taste over Idaho, for instance.

1 – Small Head cabbage

1 to 2 – Cooked Beef Shank, cut into pieces (will hv to explain how to do this)
To Taste Salt & Pepper

Garnish – Fresh Dill

Dallop – Sour Cream (low fat) Don’t skimp here to use Yogurt as substitute, just doesn’t do it in the end taste.