Borscht

I love the comfort of a hot soup, when the temperature starts falling. Borscht especially conjures the fantasy of red flames against cold snow. I imagine a Russian princess wrapped in furs gliding in her sled. It must be the combination of earth tastes, cabbage, beets and a cheap cut of beef, with the sharpness of red vinegar tempered by sugar. Dill, more often associated to fish, works beautifully to freshen the whole dish. A dollop of cream brings both esthetic and sensory pleasure.
Leftover soup freezes well, especially prior to the addition of potatoes.
Cabbages of all colors store beautifully. Once the outer leaves removed, wrap the head in newspaper and keep in a cool, dark place for several months. If you are not willing to try, use the second half of the cabbage as coleslaw.

Borscht

Ingredients:
2 lbs beef oxtail rinsed, or beef shin with bone
1 small onion, skin on, cut in half
2 medium carrots peeled, I grated, 1 quartered
3 medium red beets well scrubbed
6 tablespoons tomato paste
4 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 half red cabbage, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, cored, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 lbs firm potatoes, peeled, cubed and cooked in boiling salted water until tender
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup chopped dill

Material:
1 4-quart saucepan or slow cooker
Slotted spoon
Strainer
Salad bowl
Paring knife and cutting board

Place the beef, the onion and the quartered carrot in a 4-quart saucepan. Cover it with 6 cups cold water and set on the medium setting of the stove.
Bring to a boil. Skim any impurity rising to the surface with the slotted spoon.
Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Place the strainer over the salad bowl and strain the liquid. You should obtain 4 and ½ cups of beef stock. Discard the carrots and onions. Place the meat on the cutting board to cube it when cool enough to handle.
Return the stock to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the beets and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the beets with tongues and cool them in cold water. Peel them and cut them in small pieces. Return the beef and beets to the boiling stock.
Add the tomato paste, grated carrot, cabbage, tomatoes, bay leaf, vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Add the cubed potatoes, salt pepper and the ½ cup dill. Return to a boil for 2 minutes, or alternately, if you know you will freeze a part of the soup, warm up the potatoes and dill aside.
To serve, ladle the soup in 6 bowls. Top with a dollop of kefir, yoghurt or sour cream.


Note that the cooking time is roughly is 4 hours, of which preparation time is ½ an hour. A slow cooker, although certainly not indispensable, is an appreciable time savior.

Red cabbage coleslaw

Ingredients:

Dressing
1 yoke
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup kefir or 0% yoghurt
6 sprigs chives
Salt and pepper to taste

½ cabbage head shredded

Material:
Food processor
Salad bowl
Eggbeater

Place the yoke into a salad bowl. The secret is to keep all the ingredients for the mayonnaise at room temperature. Add the mustard. Beat with the yolk and mustard with the eggbeater until well mixed. While beating, add the oil in a light stream. The mixture should solidify. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the kefir or yoghurt. Cut the chives finely and add to the sauce.

Shred the cabbage using the shredder attachment of your food processor, any other implement or a good knife and cutting board. Add to the sauce and toss well.