Borsch

• 1 cup navy beans dry
• 2 1/2 pounds beef lean
• 1/2 pound bacon slab
• 10 cups water cold
• 1 each bay leaves
• 8 each black peppercorns
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons parsley leaves dried
• 1 each carrots
• 1 each celery stalk
• 1 large red onion
• 1 teaspoon salt optional
• 8 each beets for soup
• 2 small beets
• 2 cups cabbage green, shredded
• 2 large leeks sliced
• 3 medium potatoes cut into eighths
• 13 ounces tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 pound polish kielbasa sausage optional
• 2 tablespoons flour, all-purpose
• 1 tablespoon butter melted
• 1/2 cup sour cream optional

1. Cover beans with water and allow to soak overnight; cook until tender; drain; set aside.
2. Place beef, bacon and water in large soup pot; bring to a boil.
3. Skim fat from surface.
4. Add bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, parsley, carrot, celery, onion and salt.
5. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 1 1/2 hours.
6. Scrub beets for soup and cook in boiling water until tender, about 45 minutes; drain and discard water; cool.
7. Peel and cut each beet into eighths.
8. Scrub small beets; grate; cover with water to soak.
9. Remove meat from soup; set aside.
10. Strain soup into another pot and add cooked beets, cabbage, leeks, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, beef and bacon.
11. Bring to a boil and simmer 45 minutes.
12. Cut kielbasa into chunks and add with navy beans to soup.
13. Simmer 20 minutes more.
14. Mix flour and butter together to form paste.
15. Stir into soup to thicken slightly.
16. Strain raw beets, saving liquid and discarding beets.
17. Add beet liquid to soup.
18. Additional sugar or vinegar may be added for sweeter or more sour flavor.
19. Slice meat and arrange in individual soup bowls.
20. Pour hot soup with vegetables over meat.
21. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
22. Serves 10.

beef lean, bacon, water cold, bay leaves, black peppercorns, garlic, parsley, carrots, celery stalk, red onion, salt, soup, beets, cabbage green, leeks, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, sugar, sausage, flour, butter, sour cream

Taken from recipeland.com/recipe/v/borsch-5680 (may not work)