Borscht (Russian-Style Beet Soup)

Step 1

Heat the oil in a 5-quart pot over medium-high heat; once hot, add the meat in a single layer and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes, flipping once. (You might need to do this in 2 batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.)

Step 2

Add the bay leaf and 4 cups (.95 L) beef broth, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, turn heat down to simmer, and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Step 3

While the beef cooks, chop all the vegetables. For the beets, shred ⅓ of the beets and finely chop the remaining ⅔. Add the finely chopped beet to the pot; bring back up to a boil, then cover the pot and cook 10 minutes.

Step 4

Add the shredded beet, carrot, celery, onion, potato, cabbage, garlic, salt, black pepper, allspice, tomato paste, and remaining 4 cups beef broth. (The vegetables should be just covered with liquid; you can add water if you need more liquid to cover them.) Cover the pot and bring it back up to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Step 5

Add the vinegar, then turn off the heat and stir in the dill. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired.

Step 6

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls; top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh dill.