Russian Beetroot Borscht

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 lb stew meat
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
• 1 large raw beet, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup steel cut oats
• 3-4 whole tomatoes
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 potatoes, peeled and halved
• sour cream or yogurt for serving

Steps:

1. Heat oil and butter to a large pot over medium heat. Add stew meat, onions, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in cabbage, beets, and red bell pepper. Stir and cook for a few minutes.

3. Add steel cut oats, tomatoes, paprika, and tomato paste.

4. Add enough water to cover everything and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste, then add the halved potatoes. Cover and cook over a simmer for about 45 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

6. Serve immediately in bowls. Top with sour cream or yogurt. Keep cooled leftovers in containers in the fridge or freeze. I find the leftovers taste better and better over the days to come.

Oats in Borsch? Someone must have been fooling your Mother if they told her this was borsch.