Soup - Beet Soup (Natash's)
Ingredients
200 g carrots (7 oz)3 cloves garlic
1 medium sweet pepper
1 medium chili pepper
500 g beets (17 oz or about a pound)
3 medium apples
2 baking potatoes
450 g ripe tomatoes (about one pound)
1 medium head pointed cabbage (substitutues - Napa cabbage, Bok Choy or regular cabbage)
1 liter *beef broth, divided (33 oz or about a quart)
40 g tomato paste (1.5 ounces)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Apple cider vinegar, to taste
*for vegetarian version, use vegetable broth
Top soup with:
1 bunch fresh flat-leafed parsley
1 bunch fresh dill
Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Zest of 2 lemons
Instructions
Peel the carrots, onion, and garlic. Slice the onion and garlic, then julienne the carrots (into matchstick=sized strips or slice in rings). Core and slice the pepper and chili pepper. Peel and dice the beets, apples and potatoes. Dice the tomatoes. Slice the cabbage. Pick and chop the parsley and dill.Heat the oil ina largesoup pot,then saute the carrots, onion, garlic, pepper, and chili pepper for about 5 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the beets, tomatoes, tomato paste, and half of the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook another 10-15 minutes over low heat until the potatoes are tender. Add the remaining broth, cabbage and apples. simmer for 5-7 minutes. Season with apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Serve in soup bowls,topped with sour cream,parsley, dill and lemon zest.