Borscht

While living in Vancouver, my Russian landlady - Rayla - taught me how to make her borscht. It's hearty and healthy.

• 1 to 2 lb beef/ steak, cut into chunks
• 2 Beets, peeled and cut like frech fries
• 2 Carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 2 medium yellow/cooking onions, chopped
• 1 pound button mushrooms, quartered
• 8 medium Yukon potatoes, peeled cut into chunks
• 1 head of green cabbage,
• 1 28 oz can of tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup green onions
• 3/4 cup fresh dill
• 1/4 cup basil
• 175 grams butter, for sauteing
  
• 1 cup olive oil, for sauteing
  
• Salt
• Sour Cream

Puree the tomatoes with the basil, and set aside. Fill a big soup pot 1/2 to 2/3 of the way with water, add the beef, and place on the back burner to boil. Meanwhile, saute the mushrooms, adding the onions when somewhat cooked, then adding the garlic when the onions are cooked - saute for 1 more minute. In another pan saute the beets, adding the carrots when almost cooked through. Set the onion/ mushroom mix and the beet/ carrot mix aside. Saute the cabbage slowly. Skim the soup pot. Add the cabbage, potatoes, and tomato puree to the soup pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the dill, onion/ mushroom mix, beet/ carrot mix, and salt to the pot, then simmer for another 10 minutes. Ladle the borscht into bowls; garnish with green onions and a dollop of sour cream.