Borscht - cooking recipe

Ingredients

For the Stock
1 1/2 1 1/2 lbs beef shank or 1 1/2 lbs beef flank steak
1 meaty ham bone (about 1 pound)
2 beef bones with marrow (about 1 pound)
3 quarts water
1 onion
1 carrot, peeled
2 medium parsnips, peeled
1 stalk celery & leaves
For the Bouquet garni (tied in a cheesecloth bag)
3 dill sprigs
3 parsley sprigs
4 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
salt, to taste
For the Soup
2 large beets (about 1 1/4 pounds)
4 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 lb fresh ripe plum tomato, peeled and chopped (or 1 can (16 ounces)
salt, to taste

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375\u00b0F.
In a large soup pot, bring the meat, bones, and water to a boil over high heat, periodically skimming off the foam as it rises to the top.
Add the remaining stock ingredients and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, until the meat is tender, at least 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash and dry the beets and wrap each one separately in aluminum foil. Bake the beets until tender, 1 1/4 hours.
Allow the beets to cool until manageable, then stem and peel them and cut into julienne strips or fine dice.
When the stock is ready, remove the beef, ham bone, and marrow bones, and set all but the marrow bones aside. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pot and discard all the solids.
Bring the stock to a boil, add the potatoes and tomatoes, and season with salt. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and green pepper, and saute over medium heat until the onion and green pepper are slightly softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the cabbage and continue to saute the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is softened, 10 minutes more. Add the vegetables to the soup.
Sprinkle the beets with 1/4 cup lemon juice and add them to the soup. Stir the soup and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and prunes. Season to taste with sugar, pepper, and additional lemon juice and salt, if desired. Simmer for another 7 minutes.
Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces and scrape all the meat off the ham bone. Add both meats to the soup.
Remove the borscht from the heat and sprinkle with the minced garlic, bacon (if desired), and 3 tablespoons each of parsley and dill. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with additional chopped fresh herbs and pass the sour cream.