Borscht

My friend Dianna who served a mission for our church in Russia shared this recipe with me.  This isn't completely authentic she says because most Russians are so poor that they usually eat it watered down.  They often top it with raw garlic as well.  We love it at our house though.

2-3 beets shredded*
2-4 carrotts shredded
1 onion (shredded or finely chopped)
1-5 garlic cloves
olive oil
tomato paste
3-5 potatoes (diced)
2-4 bouillon cubes
small head of cabbage (or half a head of a medium) shredded
dill to taste (approximately 1-2 tsp)
1-2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Finishing it off:
parsley (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Boil potatoes in water with added bouillon cubes.  Meanwhile in a large stockpot, saute beets, onion, carrots, and garlic in olive oil.  When veggies are soft, add the tomato paste and let cook together for a few minutes.  Add the potatoes in their water to the veggies, and then add the cabbage.  Let simmer together for about an hour.  The longer the soup sits, the better the flavours meld together.  Top with parsley and sour cream for a fresh taste.  Makes great leftovers.  Yum!

*I use my food processor to shred all the veggies which makes it a LOT quicker