Borscht with Mushrooms and Baked Beetroot

This would be a basic borscht with mushrooms recipe if it didn’t call for using baked beetroot. Baking beetroot first adds sweet and rich flavor to this borscht, making it the best comfort food for winter.
To start, wash dry porcini mushrooms under cold running water, place them into a deep pot and cover with water. Quickly bring to a boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer the mushroom broth for 2 ½ hours. Then, take the mushrooms out, wash thoroughly again and cut into thin strips. Strain the broth and save it for another dish, since we will not be using it for this borscht.
Wash the beetroot thoroughly and wrap into aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake beetroots for 1 – ½ hours or until they become tender. Take it out of the foil pocket, cool down, peel and cut into strips.
Cut carrots, onions, leeks and parsley root into thin strips. Heat the skillet with butter and place your vegetables there. Cook on medium heat until onion develops light golden color. Remove from heat.
Crack eggs and carefully separate yolks from whites. Very slowly mix yolks with sour cream, constantly stirring the mixture.
Add 6 cups of water to a deep pot and bring to a boil. Add fried vegetables and cook for 10 minutes. Then add cubed potatoes and mushrooms and boil for 10 more minutes. Next, add baked beets, rye bread brew (kwas), peppercorns, bay leaves and salt to taste. Let it simmer for 10 minutes and lastly add sour cream and yolk mixture.
When serving the borscht, add chopped parsley and dill into bowls.

You will need:

For mushrooms:

• Water – 3 cups
• Dried porcini mushrooms – 2 oz

For borscht:       

• Water – 6 cups
• Beetroot – 14 oz
• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 carrot
• 1 parsley root
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 leek
• Butter – 4 tablespoons
• 2 eggs
• Sour cream – 2 tablespoons
• Rye bread brew (kwas) – 1 ½ cups
• Salt – to taste

To serve:        

• Chopped parsley – 4 tablespoons
• Chopped dill – 4 tablespoons

Options

You can substitute dry porcini mushrooms with fresh button mushrooms

In this case, wash fresh white mushrooms under cold running water. Cut large mushrooms into 4 pieces. Add water into a deep pot and rapidly bring to a boil. Add cut mushrooms, salt and boil for 5 minutes. Drain the water, take mushrooms out and cut into thin strips.
You will need:

• Water – 4 cups
• Fresh button mushrooms – 2 oz
• Salt – 1 teaspoon

How to make rye bread brew (kwas)