Roasted Beet and Smoked Rib Borscht

Method

1. Scrub the beetroot, wrap each one in foil with the skin on and roast in the oven preheated to 200°C for 50 min. They are done when a skewer slides into the centre easily. Roasting concentrates their sweetness and keeps the colour in the beet rather than in the cooking water.

   Add in this stepWhole beetroot 300 g

   oven

2. Char the cut side of the half onion, skin on, in a dry pan until black. Put the beef and smoked ribs in a 3.5 L pot, cover with cold water, bring to the boil on high heat (about 12 min) and skim. Add the charred onion, bay and allspice, turn down to low heat and simmer for 1 h 30 min. The charred onion gives the broth an amber colour and a toasty note.

   Add in this stepBone-in beef shank 350 gSmoked pork ribs 150 gCold water 1,300 mlOnion for the broth ½Bay leaves 1Whole allspice berries 3

   high heat→low heat

3. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot; take the meat off the bones and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add the potatoes, cut into 2 cm cubes, and half the salt to the broth and cook on medium heat for 10 min.

   Add in this stepPotatoes 180 gCoarse salt to taste

   medium heat

4. Finely dice half the salo (5 mm) and render it in a 24 cm pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, coarsely grated carrot and thinly sliced pepper and cook for 6 min, until soft and lightly golden, then add the tomato paste and cook for 2 min more to take away its raw sharpness.

   Add in this stepSalo (salt-cured pork fat) or lard 18 gOnion 80 gCarrot 80 gRed bell pepper 70 gTomato paste 1 tbsp

   medium heat

5. Slip the skins off the roasted beets, cut them into 5 mm matchsticks and toss with the lemon juice. Add the fried vegetables, beetroot, cabbage shredded into 5 mm ribbons and halved prunes to the pot and simmer on low heat for 9 min, until the cabbage is tender.

   Add in this stepWhite cabbage 150 gPrunes (smoked if you can find them) 25 gLemon juice 1½ tsp

   low heat

6. On the board, chop the rest of the salo with the garlic until it becomes a creamy paste. Finely grate the raw beetroot and squeeze its juice into the pot through a cloth or your hand. Add the salo paste, the meat, the remaining salt and pepper and heat on low heat for 2 min, turning off the heat just before it boils. That last splash of beet juice brings back a vivid ruby colour.

   Add in this stepSalo (salt-cured pork fat) or lard 18 gGarlic cloves 2Raw beetroot (for colour) 50 gCoarse salt to tasteBlack pepper to taste

   low heat

7. Cover and leave for 20 min. Ladle into bowls, scatter with chopped dill and parsley and top generously with sour cream.

   Add in this stepFresh dill 10 gFlat-leaf parsley 5 gFull-fat sour cream 2 tbsp