from My Vicipedia
Komst Borscht (derived from my mum’s recipe)
Stock made with
1 good chicken (fryers suck for this), fresh, free range is best
2 sticks celery
½ – 1 onion roughly chopped
1 carrot, 2 if you like the soup a little sweeter
pepper corns
2 bay leaves
Boil, reduce to low boil for 2 hours, skimming the fat and gunge. Strain.
Soup
½ + shredded green cabbage (can be more, but I like the broth more than cabbage)chopped by hand
½ to 1 onion, chopped
3 medium size red potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
dill & lots of it – fresh is best
2 dried chili peppers (or more to taste), can substitute red chilli flakes and cayenne
Add back some of the chicken, cut finely (I usually cook out most of the flavour even of the best chicken, so I often roast some skinless chicken thighs, removing the bone after they’re cooked, then cut that chicken to the soup)
cayenne & ground black pepper (to taste)
salt to taste
1 can Campbell’s Tomato Soup (to get the right colour, definitely if following mum’s recipe and I still use it) or strained tomatoes
Cook until all vegetables are tender – Add one can of Campbell’s tomato soup – bring back to a very low boil stirring the soup into the soup
This is a soup that often works better on the second heating, and also freezes well.
Makes a big pot (has to be big enough for the chicken anyway).
Serve with fresh old- fashioned crusty French, baguette or sourdough white bread – for dunkin.
Boil, reduce to low boil for 2 hours, skimming the fat and gunge. Strain.