Polish Borscht - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 dried wild mushrooms
8 medium beets, trimmed
4 quarts water, or more as needed
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, halved
10 whole allspice berries
4 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Preparation

Place dried mushrooms in a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 30 minutes. Drain.
While mushrooms are soaking, place beets in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool until easily handled. Peel and slice beets.
Place sliced beets in a large pot and cover with 4 quarts water. Add drained mushrooms, onions, garlic, allspice, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir in oil and lemon juice. Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley.