Beef Borsch - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lb. beef stew meat
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1 chopped onion
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 (16 oz.) jar sliced beets
dairy sour cream
4 c. water
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 c. celery, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 medium cabbage
2 Tbsp. flour

Preparation

Cut beef into 1 inch pieces and place in Dutch oven or large pot.
Add water, salt, pepper and bay leaf.
Cover tightly and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Remove bay leaf.
Add celery, onion, garlic, vinegar, sugar and thyme and simmer 15 minutes.
Thinly slice cabbage; add and continue to cook, covered, until meat and cabbage are tender.
Drain beets, reserve liquid; combine with flour to blend.
Stir into soup and cook, stirring constantly to thicken slightly.
Add beets and simmer another 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve sour cream on top of individual servings.
Makes 8 servings.