OLGA'S BORSCHT (BEET SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onion and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are beginning to soften, stirring often. Add vegetable stock, tomatoes and juice, beets, beet tops, salt, cloves, bay leaf and sugar. Bring to a quick simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beets are very tender. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Using caution, puree 3 cups of soup in a blender until smooth, 1 cup at at time, placing puree in a separate bowl. Add puree to remaining soup in pot and stir well to incorporate. Reheat soup just until steaming hot and do not allow to boil. Remove from heat, add dill, lemon juice/zest, salt and pepper to taste, and stir well to blend. Ladle soup into warmed bowls, top with a generous dollop of sour cream sprinkled with dill and lemon zest. Notes: - recipe may be easily halved - soup freezes well and keeps 3 months - fresh spinach may be used in lieu of beet tops - requires considerable chopping time, so best to prep all veggies prior to beginning cooking process