Cook The Book: Elaine'S Clear Vegetarian Borscht

• 2 bunches (about 2 1/2 pounds) red beets with healthy beet greens, washed well, beets thinly sliced and greens reserved
• 1 medium Spanish onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt, or to taste
• Sour cream, for serving

1. Place the sliced beets and their greens in a large stainless steel stockpot or another nonreactive stockpot and add the onion. Pour in water to cover the beets and onion by just about 1 inch (about 12 cups). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beets are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. Strain the broth into a glass container or another nonporous (and, therefore, nonstaining) container, discarding all the solids. While the soup is still hot, stir in the lemon juice, sugar, and salt; adjust the seasonings to your taste. Cover the borscht with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
3. To serve, ladle the soup into chilled bowls and drop a big dollop of sour cream into each serving. Or, if you want to be dramatic, serve it in glasses, also topped with sour cream.

bunches, spanish onion, lemon juice, sugar, kosher, sour cream

Taken from www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/07/elaines-clear-vegetarian-borscht-recipe.html (may not work)