Borscht With Meatballs - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 small leek, coarsely chopped
8 oz cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
2 medium beets, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 None veal shanks (3 1/3 lbs), trimmed and cut into thirds
None None FOR THE MEATBALLS
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup white medium-grain rice
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 None eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Cook the onion, carrot, leek, cabbage, tomato and beet, stirring, for 15 mins. Add the veal shanks and 5 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low; simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the veal shanks; reserve the meat from the shanks for another use, such as in a soup or stew.
Meanwhile, for the meatballs, combine the ground beef, rice, paprika, onion, garlic, parsley and egg in a large bowl. Shape rounded teaspoons of mixture into meatballs.
Return the borscht to a boil; add the meatballs. Reduce the heat to low; simmer, uncovered, until the meatballs are cooked through.
Divide the borscht and meatballs among serving bowls. Dollop with combined sour cream and dill. Serve with sliced rye or pumpernickel bread.