Czerwony Barszcz (Red Borsch)

Description: Red Borsch, similar to white borsch is a very common traditional dish in Poland’s culture as it also ties into the country's religion of Catholicism. It is a traditional dish served on Christmas Eve dinner with Polish dumplings filled with mushroom. It’s main and base ingredients is from beet roots which give it its red color. It’s base origin comes from Ukrainian beet soup.

Ingredients:

5 fresh beets

6 cups of water

3 beef bouillon cubes

1 tbs salt

1tbs sugar

3 bay leaves

6 white pepper (not crushed)

1 lemon

1 garlic clove

½ cup of pickled beet juice

1 carrot

*Can be served with mushroom filled dumplings

Directions:

1. Wash the beets and Carrot and cook them with peel on in water and a dash of salt. Cook until beets are soft.

2. Remove beets. Peel and shred enough beets for 1 1/2 cups and return to water with salt.

3. Add the bouillon cubes, salt, sugar, spices, garlic and half the lemon juice.

4. Let it boil up and reduce heat until soup stops boiling. Add remaining lemon juice and the Pickled Beet Juice.

5. Serve with dumplings filled with mushrooms if desired.