Beet the Heat

First of all, if you think you're not a beet lover, rest assured. I wasn't either for the longest time. Now I'm a believer. This recipe will make you one as well. It's delicious, beautiful, and easy to make. Beets are relatively inexpensive if you buy them, and easy to grow if you have a garden. The roots are great for soups & juicing, for roasting & serving as a salad, for pickling...and the list goes on. The stems & leaves are amazing in pasta sauce or just sauteed with olive oil, salt & garlic. Supposedly beet juice detoxifies the liver & helps keep your skin clear. Reason enough!

Borscht Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 8 cups beef broth*
• 1 pound slice of meaty bone-in beef shank
• 1 large onion, peeled, quartered
• 4 large beets, peeled, chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled, chopped
• 1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

*Use gluten-free broth if you are cooking gluten-free

METHOD

1 Bring 4 cups of the beef broth, the beef shank, and onion to boil in large pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

2 Transfer meat to work surface; trim fat, sinew and bone and discard. Chop meat; cover and chill. Cool broth slightly. Chill in pot until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

3 Spoon fat from top of chilled broth and discard. Add remaining 4 cups broth, beets, carrots, and potato; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

4 Stir in meat, cabbage and 1/2 cup dill; cook until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup dill.

Yield: Serves 6.