Ukrainian Borscht recipe

The perfect borscht is what life should be but never is. - 'Aleksandar Hemon' (author) anyway... Umm and I thought, 'Life is a minestrone'? You know, 'Served up with Parmesan cheese'.. But then after a hard day making Lada's...

It is said (apparently) that Russians would happily eat borscht three times a day if they had the chance, and that there are as many recipes as Russians, but then the Ukrainians claim it as theirs but it's associated with cuisines that are Belarusian, Moldovan, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish & Romanian. 

Apparently Russian standard borscht contains meat, beetroot, cabbage, root vegetables, onions, tomato paste, vinegar and sugar, while “Ukrainian” borscht contains meat, cabbage, potatoes, beetroot, tomato paste, carrot, parsnip, onion, bacon, butter, vinegar and garlic, garnished with sour cream and chopped dill. It can be thin, and cold in Summer, or chunky and hot in Winter and with or without meat. Someone said, you can throw what you like in the result is the same? So I've never had a borscht made by a Ukrainian or even a Russian come to that. But when a friend gave me a large roasted beetroot, I thought, 'Da Comrade'.

So the aim is a slightly sweet and slightly sour soup. So soften onions, add chopped bacon, garlic, potatoes, red peppers, parsnip move them around for a few minutes, add chopped beetroot and an apple (peeled) beef stock, paprika, cider vinegar, bay leaf and tom puree. Bring to a simmer and cook for an hour or so then add drained and washed red kidney beans, squeeze out water from sauerkraut add top up with water or stock and simmer for about another fifteen minutes. This version is a thick recipe. Finished with creme fresh and parsley (no dill).

I liked the outcome and since I forgot to take a finished picture I think further borscht ventures await.