Life on a Table recipe #175 – Mazambala Beetroot Soup

MAZAMBALA BEETROOT SOUP

BORSCHT

Extract from the book Life on a Table by Antoinette de Chavonnes Vrugt

Beetroot soup is a traditional Russian dish which can be served as a creamy chilled soup with chives sprinkled on top or as a large one-pot family meal.

INGREDIENTS

500 g beef brisket or beef goulash

5 whole beetroots, washed and peeled

1 onion, chopped

¼ cabbage, finely sliced

1 stalk celery, chopped

30 ml red wine vinegar

10 ml sugar

10 ml salt

2 bay leaves

30 ml fresh parsley

2.5 ml ground black pepper

50 g tomato paste

2 x 410 g tins chopped tomatoes

1 litre water

Sour cream to serve

30 ml lemon juice

METHOD

Put the water, beetroot, beef, vinegar and 5 ml salt in a stockpot. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 hour.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for another 2 hours.

Take out the beetroot to grate and put it back into the soup.

Cut the meat into smaller pieces if necessary.

Add the lemon juice and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Boil for another 5 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.