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Ukrainian Borscht with Garlic Pampushky

8 servings

Beef Broth

  • 1 lbbeef (sirloin, stew meat or bone-in shank), cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces
  • 14 cupscold water
  • 1 tbspsalt

Beets and Fried Vegetables

  • 3beets, peeled and coarsely grated
  • ¼ cupolive oil
  • 1 tbspwhite vinegar
  • 1 tbspsugar
  • 2 tbsptomato paste or tomato sauce
  • 1 tbspunsalted butter
  • 1onion, finely diced
  • 2carrots, coarsely grated

Borscht

  • 3potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ headsmall head of cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 2tomatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 leavesbay leaves
  • ¼ tspblack pepper, freshly ground
  • ½ tspsalt
  • ¼ cupfresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 clovesgarlic, pressed
  • sour cream (smetana), to serve, to taste
  • fresh dill or parsley sprigs, to serve, to taste

Garlic and Dill Pampushky

  • 1 cuplukewarm whole milk
  • 2 tspsugar
  • 1 ½ tspactive dry yeast
  • 1egg
  • 3 tbspsunflower oil, plus more for greasing
  • 3 cupsall-purpose flour
  • 1 tspsalt
  • 1egg, for brushing
  • 2 tbspsunflower oil
  • 3 clovesgarlic, minced
  • 3 tbspfresh dill, chopped
  • 1 tspcoarse salt
  1. Beef Broth Rinse 1 lb beef (sirloin, stew meat or bone-in shank) under cold water and put it in a large soup pot with 14 cups cold water and 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. 15 min to 20 min
  2. As soon as it boils, skim off all the grey foam that gathers on top. Do it now: if you wait, the foam breaks up into the broth and clouds it. 2 min to 5 min
  3. Lower the heat, set the lid ajar and simmer gently for 45 min to 1 h, skimming now and then. Get the beets and the vegetables ready meanwhile.
  4. Beets and Fried Vegetables Put 3 beets in a large heavy skillet with ¼ cup olive oil and 1 tbsp white vinegar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, for 5 min.
  5. Turn the heat to medium-low, stir in 1 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp tomato paste or tomato sauce and keep cooking, stirring from time to time, until the beets begin to soften, about 10 min. Scrape them into a bowl.
  6. Without washing the skillet, melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter and cook 1 onion for 2 min. Add 2 carrots and cook about 5 min more until soft, adding a splash of oil if the pan looks dry.
  7. Borscht Once the beef has simmered at least 45 min, add 3 potatoes to the pot and cook 10 min.
  8. Add ½ head small head of cabbage, the fried beets, the onion and carrot and 2 tomatoes. Simmer about 10 min.
  9. Add 2 leaves bay leaves, ¼ tsp black pepper and ½ tsp salt, then taste and adjust the salt. It should taste rounded: sweet from the beets, gently sour, well salted.
  10. Stir in ¼ cup fresh parsley and 2 cloves garlic, put the lid on straight away and take the pot off the heat. Leave it covered for 20 min.
  11. Ladle into bowls and top each with a spoonful of sour cream (smetana), to serve and fresh dill or parsley sprigs, to serve. Serve with the warm pampushky.
  12. Garlic and Dill Pampushky Whisk 1 cup lukewarm whole milk, 2 tsp sugar and 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast in a large bowl and leave until foamy, 10 min to 15 min.
  13. Add 1 egg, 3 tbsp sunflower oil, plus more for greasing, 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp salt. Mix, then knead by hand for a few minutes. 5 min to 8 min
  14. Oil the bowl, return the dough, cover with a towel and leave in a warm spot for about 1 h.
  15. Oil two 23 cm (9 in) baking dishes. Divide the dough into sixteen equal pieces, roll each into a tight ball and set eight in each dish with a little space between them. Cover and leave for about 30 min.
  16. Heat the oven to 175 °C. Beat 1 egg, for brushing, brush it over the rolls and bake 30 min to 35 min.
  17. While they bake, stir together 2 tbsp sunflower oil, 3 cloves garlic and 3 tbsp fresh dill.
  18. Turn the hot rolls out of the dishes, brush them all over with the garlic oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp coarse salt. Cool a little on a rack and serve the same day.
  • Safety: Large batch: cool quickly in shallow containers or an ice bath, to below 5 °C within 6 hours, before refrigerating. (USDA FSIS)
  • Safety: The pampushky topping uses raw garlic in oil. Brush it on just before serving and do not store the garlic oil at room temperature. (The author)
  • Safety: Whole cuts of beef should reach 63 °C (145 °F) at the centre, then rest 3 minutes. (USDA FSIS)
  • Safety: Egg dishes should reach 71 °C (160 °F) at the centre. (USDA FSIS)