Flavorful Borscht with Sauerkraut and Mushrooms

This borscht recipe is very peculiar. It calls for the use of white mushrooms and sauerkraut, a classic combination if Northern Ukrainian cuisine. Hearty, flavorful and very comforting thick soup for long winter evenings.
To start, thoroughly wash dried porcini mushrooms and place them into a pot. Cover with 8 cups of water and leave them like this for 2 hours. Then, place the pot with the same liquid onto the stove and bring to a boil. When the broth starts boiling, add 1 yellow onion cut in half. Cook for 1 hour. Add salt at the end of the cooking process. When it’s done, strain the broth and set aside. Take the mushrooms out and cut them into fine strips.
Now, examine the sauerkraut you have on hand. Cut bulky pieces into smaller strips, and if your sauerkraut is too sour, wash it under cold running water. Squeeze it afterwards to get all spare water out. Transfer sauerkraut into a pot or a skillet, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and ¼ cup of broth, cover with a lid and stew on high heat for 2 minutes. Then lower the heat to low and keep cooking it for 2 hours, stirring it occasionally so it doesn’t burn. Add a couple drops of water, if needed.
Cut the beets into thin strips, add white vinegar, sugar and vegetable oil, mix well and place into a pot. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 30-40 minutes. Stir it from time to time so it doesn’t burn and add a little water if needed.
Cut yellow onion into half rings and fry it on a skillet with oil for 5 minutes. Then add shredded parsley root, celery root and shredded carrot and cook for 10 minutes. After, add tomato puree and keep cooking for another 15 minutes.
Heat a skillet on the stove. Without adding any oil, add flour and fry it until it develops a light golden color. Then add 4 tablespoons of broth and mix really well. Keep cooking the mixture for another 7 minutes and then strain.
Bring the mushroom broth to a boil. Add cubed potatoes and bring to a boiling point again. Then add stewed beetroots, cooked sauerkraut and vegetables along with mushrooms and cook the soup for 30 minutes. Then add flour mixture, minced garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. Taste for salt and add any, if needed. Let it all boil for 2 minutes, mix everything well, cover with a lid and remove from heat.
When serving, add chopped parsley greens into bowls of borscht.
 

You will need:

For broth:   

• Water – 8 cups
• Dried porcini mushrooms – 1 oz
• 1 yellow onion
• Salt – 1 ½ teaspoon

For borscht:       

• Beetroot – 7 oz
• Sauerkraut – 12 oz
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 carrot
• ½ parsley root
• ½ celery root
• 1 yellow onion
• Tomato puree – 4 tablespoons
• All-purpose flour – 1 tablespoon
• Vegetable oil – 3 tablespoons
• Garlic – 3 cloves
• Sugar – 1 tablespoon
• White vinegar – 2 teaspoons
• 4-5 peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt – to taste

To serve:        

• Chopped parsley greens – 4 tablespoons

Click here if you want to learn how to make sauerkraut