Recipe(tried): UKRAINIAN CHERNIHIV Borshch with apples

UKRAINIAN BORSHCH WITH APPLES AND BEANS CHERNIHIVSKIY BORSHCH:

Chernihiv is a beautiful ancient Ukrainian city, home of a legendary folk warrior who was famous for his physical strength. So there must have been something special in the soup he ate!

This borshch can also be vegetarian, in which case use 7 to 8 cups Vegetable Stock.

STOCK:

2 pounds beef chuck or shin, with the bone
2 quarts water
1 small onion
1 carrot, peeled and quartered
1 leek (white part only), well rinsed

SOUP:

2 large beets (about 1 1/4 pounds)washed and scrubbed
3 tablespoons white vinegar, or more to taste
2 large boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
2 cups coarsely grated green cabbage
1 pound fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 parsnip, peeled
1 rib celery with leaves
Bouquet garni (6 parsley sprigs, 4 dill sprigs, 2 bay leaves, and 8 peppercorns tied in a cheesecloth bag)
Salt, to taste

2 medium-size tart apples (such as Granny Smith), cored, peeled, and cut into wedges
2 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sour cream
Chopped fresh dill for garnish

In a large soup pot, bring all the stock ingredients to a boil over high heat, periodically skimming off the foam as it rises to the top. cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the beef is tender, 1 1/2 hours.

Strain the stock trough a fine sieve into a clean pot. Reserve the beef and discard the other solids.

Add the beets to the stock and cook over medium heat until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the beets from the stock and cool until manageable. Peel the beets and cut into fine dice.

Return the beets to the pot along with 2 tablespoons vinegar, the potatoes, cabbage, and tomatoes. Simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

Add the apples and zucchini, and continue simmering until the vegetables are tender, 15 minutes more.

Remove the meat from the bones and cut into bite-size pieces. Add it to the soup, along with the beans and garlic; season with salt and pepper and add more vinegar, if desired. Simmer for 5 minutes more.

Allow the borshch to stand at least 10 minutes before serving. serve with sour cream sprinkled with dill.

Serves 8.