Beet Green Borscht - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine or 1/2 cup butter, divided
2 medium onions, chopped small
19 fluid ounces canned tomatoes, including liquid (crush tomatoes)
16 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped small
1 medium red beet, scrubbed and cut in half
1 cup half-and-half cream
4 cups chopped young beets, with tops
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/2 inch
3 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 medium green pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium sweet red pepper, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups diagonally cut green beans (about 1 inch long)
1 stalk celery, chopped small
2 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill weed or 3 tablespoons dried dill weed
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

In a large frying pan, melt 1/4 cup of margarine or butter.
Add chopped onions and saute' for 5 minutes but do not brown.
Add mashed tomatoes including liquid and simmer until reduced to about half (about 20 minutes) then set aside.
In a large cooking pot, add 16 cups of water and bring to boil.
Add salt, potato quarters, chopped carrots and the beet and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
When potatoes are tender, remove into a bowl and mash.
Add the remainder 1/4 cup of margarine or butter, half and half cream to the mashed potatoes and mix well, then set aside.
Trim tail ends of the young beets, and scrub only, then cut into small pieces and add to soup pot.
Chop beet greens into medium size pieces and add to soup pot.
Add cubed potatoes, spinach greens, green and red peppers, green beans, chopped celery, cauliflower florets and cook until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
Add mashed potato mixture, tomato/onion mixture, green onions, fresh dill weed and bring to boil.
Remove from heat.
Add lemon juice and stir well.
Adjust spices to taste.
Cover and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Refrigerate any unused portion of soup.