Recipe: Pickle Barrel Cabbage Borscht (Pickle Barrel Restaurant)

PICKLE BARREL CABBAGE BORSCHT

"Pickle Barrel chef Mike Clarke cooks the short ribs for this beetless borscht on their own, adding the meat just before serving. To save time, you can follow this method instead, capturing all their flavour by cooking them with the soup."

oil
1 pound (500g) beef short ribs
2 medium onions, chopped
3 stalks celery
2 carrots, chopped
juice of 1 large lemon
1 beef bouillon cube
1 1/2 cups canned plum tomatoes
2 cups tomato juice
2 to 3 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup tomato ketchup
1 small cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
beef stock or broth
ground black pepper

In a large, heavy saucepan, brown ribs in hot oil. Remove, then add onions, carrots and celery. Cook until tender.

Return ribs to saucepan, add undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato paste, lemon juice and beef bouillon cube. Bring to boil, then stir in cabbage (about 8 cups), sugar and 3 cups beef stock or broth. Season with pepper.

Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 30 minutes then remove short ribs, take meat from bone and slice into bite-sized pieces. Continue simmering soup for 15 minutes with meat from short ribs. Add additional stock if needed. Check seasoning before serving.

Makes about 12 cups
Source: Chef Mike Clarke, Pickle Barrel Restaurant, 5941 Leslie St. Toronto, Canada