Really Fab Russian Lamb Borscht Stew

 

Even if you aren't a big fan of beets, this is one of my favorite ways to use them. This dish can be seved as a soup if you chop everything very fine, but I like to go a little chunky and make it into a stew. If you don't even feel like stew or soup, the borscht concoction makes an uber fabulous marinade... Just cook the ingredients just 5 minutes longer and serve the chunkier cut veggies from the borscht and lamb with rice. If you do it this way, you can drizzle the liquid over the top and it rocks the party just fine.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1 pound lamb stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 1/2 quarts beef broth
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cabbage, cored and shredded
• 2 cans of stewed tomatoes
• 2 lbs. fresh, chopped stewed beets or 32 oz. borscht.
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped dill

Directions

1. Heat grapeseed and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot until very hot. Add the cubed lamb, and sear until well browned. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender and translucent.
2. Pour in the beef broth, vinegar, and lemon juice; add the cabbage, stewed tomatoes, diced beets or beet juice, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lamb and beets are tender, about 2 hours.
3. Stir the borscht, and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Some people would leave the sour cream on the side but I believe it's better mixed in acouple minutes before we remove it from heat. Sprinkle dill on top and serve.