Old-Fashioned Sweet And Sour Beef Borscht And Cabbage - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 lb. beef short ribs, trimmed of fat
2 medium onions, chopped
2 c. thinly sliced carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 qt. water
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1 small head green cabbage
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 (8 oz.) can julienne cut beets, drained
8 gingersnaps, crushed

Preparation

In a large soup kettle or 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over high heat until hot.
Add beef and cook over high heat, turning, until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add onions and carrots and cook, stirring often, over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, until onions are golden brown.
Stir in garlic.
Add water; heat to boiling over high heat.
Skim off any residue that rises to the surface of the soup.
Stir in tomatoes.
Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
Add cabbage, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Simmer 1 hour longer.
Discard bay leaf.
Add lemon juice, brown sugar and drained beets.
Cook over low heat 15 minutes.
Stir in crushed gingersnaps.
Remove ribs with slotted spoon.
Cut meat into small pieces; discard bones.
Return to soup.
Taste and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 6 to 8.