Name: Borsch
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1kg fatty beef shin, (left in large chunks) -; 1 onion, peeled and left whole -; 1 bay leaf -; 2.2kg potatoes, peeled and chopped -; 2 tbsp sunflower oil -; 1 onion, finely diced -; 1 carrot, roughly grated -; 200g beetroot, peeled and chopped into matchsticks -; 1 red pepper, chopped (optional) -; ½ x 400g can chopped tomatoes -; 6 prunes, pitted (we used French Agen prunes) -; ½ white cabbage, shredded -; 400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed -; 100ml soured cream or crème fraîche, to serve -; ½ bunch dill, chopped -; crusty bread, to serve -

Ingredients for - Borsch

1. 1kg fatty beef shin, (left in large chunks)

2. 1 onion, peeled and left whole

3. 1 bay leaf

4. 2.2kg potatoes, peeled and chopped

5. 2 tbsp sunflower oil

6. 1 onion, finely diced

7. 1 carrot, roughly grated

8. 200g beetroot, peeled and chopped into matchsticks

9. 1 red pepper, chopped (optional)

10. ½ x 400g can chopped tomatoes

11. 6 prunes, pitted (we used French Agen prunes)

12. ½ white cabbage, shredded

13. 400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

14. 100ml soured cream or crème fraîche, to serve

15. ½ bunch dill, chopped

16. crusty bread, to serve

How to cook deliciously - Borsch

1 . Stage

To make the stock, put the meat, whole onion, bay leaf and 2 litres of lightly salted cold water in a large saucepan. Cook over a very low heat for 1 hr 30 mins or until the beef shin is soft and falls apart easily – this can take up to 3 hrs. Skim off the scum with a spoon from time to time. Break up any larger pieces of beef into the broth, remove the whole onion and discard.

2 . Stage

Add the potatoes to the borscht, season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the diced onion and carrot, and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the carrot is soft and is about to start caramelising.

3 . Stage

Add the beetroot and cook for around 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, if using, and cook for another 2 mins, then add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, then increase the heat and boil to reduce slightly, before adding everything to the borscht.

4 . Stage

Add the shredded cabbage and the kidney beans, and cook for 7-10 mins or until tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, lots of chopped dill and some crusty bread.