Borsch - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 oz. dried mushrooms
3 c. water
1 chopped onion
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 medium beets
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
1 c. chopped cabbage
salt and pepper to taste
1 whole onion
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar
2 Tbsp. tomato paste

Preparation

Simmer mushrooms in 3 cups water for 1 hour.
Strain and through cloth and save stock.
Wash mushrooms thoroughly and save. Saute 1 chopped onion in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until golden. Add beets, carrot, celery, all chopped.
Cook 5 minutes.
Add 6 boiling cups water, 1 whole onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, lemon or vinegar and tomato paste.
Simmer 15 minutes.
Add cabbage and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the whole onion, pepper, carrots and bay leaf.
Add mushroom stock and salt to taste.
Cool to let flavor \"marry.\"
Serve cold or reheat.
Add mushrooms and dollop of sour cream to each serving.
Makes 8 or 10 servings.