Ukrainian Borscht with Lamb or Turkey

Very thick and flavor packed borscht! It is not heavy because the recipe calls for a diet type of meats such as lamb or turkey. The twist is adding fresh tomatoes when serving.

Take your bone-on lamb or turkey and wash under running water. Place the meat into a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. When it boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about an hour. Skim off all the foam that might appear on top of boiling broth. Add salt 30 minutes into simmering. Cook for another 30 minutes. After the broth is done, separate the meat from the bones and set aside. Strain the broth.

Cut beetroot into stripes, sprinkle with salt, add vinegar and mix well. Transfer to a skillet, add clarified butter and sugar and cover with a lid. Cook on low for about an hour until the beetroot is done.

Shred your carrots, transfer them to a skillet and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add cubed onions and cook some more until the onion turns pale golden. Add tomato puree and keep cooking until all the water evaporates and the mixture darkens.

On a separate dry skillet fry all purpose flour until it develops light golden color. Cool it and add 4 tablespoons of broth and mix well. Strain the mixture.

Mince garlic and chop cured pork fat and grind it in a mortar until combined well.

Bring the broth to a boil again and add cubed potatoes, stewed beetroot and tomato-onion mixture, add salt and cook for 10 minutes. Add shredded green cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. When you are about to turn the heat off, add bay leaves, minced garlic mixture, chopped parsley and dill. Cook for 2 more minutes and turn the heat off. Cover borscht with a lid and let it stand for 20 minutes.

Add finely chopped fresh tomatoes and sour cream to every bowl when serving the borscht.

You will need:

For broth:   

• Water – 8 cups
• Bone-in lamb or turkey – 16 oz
• Salt – 2 teaspoons

For borscht:      

• Beetroot – 12 oz
• Fresh green cabbage – 12 oz
• 3 medium potatoes
• 1 carrot
• 1 yellow onion
• Tomato puree – 5 tablespoons
• Clarified butter – 3 tablespoons
• All purpose flour – 1 tablespoon
• Cured pork fat – 2 oz
• Garlic – 5 cloves
• Sugar – 2 tablespoons
• White vinegar – 2 tablespoons
• 1 pinch of ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• Parsley
• Dill
• Salt – to taste

To serve:         

• Sour cream
• 2 fresh tomatoes