Red Borsch with Chicken, Beans and Prunes

Borscht is the undoubted favorite among the first courses. They say how many housewives, so many borschts. Indeed, each kitchen has its own special and most delicious borscht. Today I cooked borscht in chicken broth, with prunes, beans, and smoked brisket. The prunes taste well with beets and give the borsch a sweetness and aroma.

Ingredients

• Chicken (drumstick or thigh) – 500 g
• Smoked brisket – 80-100 g
• Canned beans – 1 glass
• Prunes – 40 g
• Beets – 1 pc.
• Tomato – 1 pc.
• White cabbage – 0.5 pcs.
• Carrots – 2 pcs.
• Bulb onions – 1 pc.
• Red onions – 0.5-1 pcs.
• Petiole celery – 1 pc.
• Fresh parsley – 1 bunch
• Garlic – 3 cloves
• Bay leaf – 1 pc.
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper – to taste
• Vegetable oil – for frying
• Water – 2 l

Directions

1. Wash chicken meat (I used drumsticks) remove the skin. Place the meat in a saucepan, cover with cold water (2 l) and cook.

   

2. Prepare vegetables for broth. Peel onions, one carrot, celery stalk. For parsley, separate the stems from the leaves.
3. When the water in the pan boils, remove all foam. Dip the onion, carrot, celery stalk, parsley stalks, bay leaf, and peppercorns into a saucepan. Boil the broth under the lid over the lowest heat. The broth should not boil too much to avoid becoming cloudy. If foam forms, it must be removed.

   

4. Prepare borsch dressing. Cut the red onion into half rings. Beets and carrots – straws.
5. Cut the tomato into cubes. Chop the cabbage.
6. Finely chop the parsley leaves and mix with the garlic passed through a press.
7. Dice the smoked brisket. Fry the brisket in a skillet with a little oil.
8. Put the onion in the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and fry the onion until golden brown. Add carrots to the onion and fry together.
9. Add beets, stir and fry. Then add the tomato and pour in a little hot broth (2-3 tablespoons) from the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the vegetables until soft, stirring occasionally.

   

10. Then add prunes to the vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes.
11. The broth of chicken drumsticks was simmered over low heat with a minimum boil for about 1 hour. Chicken meat is easily pierced with a knife and separated from the bones – which means the broth is ready.
12. Strain the broth through a sieve. Throw out the vegetables from the broth, separate the chicken meat from the bones, and return to the broth. Bring the broth to a boil, salt to taste. Put the beans in the soup.
13. Add shredded cabbage and cook for 7-8 minutes. Cabbage in borscht should not be boiled.
14. Put the fried vegetables and chopped parsley with garlic into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook the borsch with beans and prunes for another 1-2 minutes.

    

15. Let the borscht brew for about 30 minutes. Delicious borsch with chicken, beans, and prunes is ready. Enjoy your meal!