Disclaimer: I lived in Moscow for quite some time; this recipe is legit.

This recipe is a great basis off of which to personalize the recipe.

To serve 6 to 8

• 2 tbps butter
• 1/2 c finely chopped onions
• 1.5 lbs beets, peeled and cut into strips 1/8" wide by 2" long (about 5c)
• 1/4 c red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 2 tsps salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 quarts of beef stock
• 1/2 lb white cabbage, quartered, cored, and coarsely shredded
• 1/4 lb boiled ham, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1/4 lb all-beef frankfurters, cut into 1/2"-thick rounds and then coarsely quartered
• 1 lb boiled brisket from the stock, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1 c peas, defrosted
• 4 sprigs parsley, tied together with 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 c fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 1 c sour cream (smetana) fora dollop in each serving (to taste)

In a 6- to 8-quart pot, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onions and, stirring frequently, cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are soft but not brown. Stir in the beets, then add the red wine vinegar, sugar, chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp of the salt, and a few grindings of black pepper. Pour in 1/2 c of the stock, cover the pan, and simmer undisturbed for 50 minutes.

Pour in the remaining stock into the pot and add the shredded cabbage. Bring to a boil, then stir in the ham, frankfurters, beef, and peas. Submerge the tied parsley and bay leaf in the soup, add another teaspoon of salt, and simmer, partially covered, for a half hour.

Transfer the borscht to a large tureen and sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley (protip: do this in each serving individually, rather than in the tureen. Trust me on this one. Use it as a garnish.). Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream in the bottom of the bowl first, then layer your fillings (meat and veggies) in first, then ladle in your broth. Serve with brown/black bread. Enjoy!!

Personally, i cheat and use Better than Bouillon for my stock when it's called for in this recipe, but if you want to be super, super legit:

For the beef stock:

• 1 lb fresh lean brisket of beef
• 5 lbs beef marrow bones, cracked
• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 large carrot, peeled
• 2 celery tops, 6 sprigs of parsley, and 2 bay leaves, all tied together
• 1 tbsp salt

In a heavy 6- to 8-quart pot, bring the pound of beef, beef bones and 4 qts of water to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam and scum as it rises to they surface. Add the onion, carrot, tied greens and salt, partially cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 1-1.5 hours, or until the meat is tender but not falling apart. Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon, cut it into small diced pieces, and set them aside. Continue to simmer the stock, partially covered, for about 4 hours longer. Then, strain the stock through a fine sieve (aka cheesecloth) set over a large bowl, discarding the bones and greens. With a large spoon, skim off and discard as much of the surface fat as you can.

приятного аппетита!