Meat Beetroot Soup

Ingredients

• 1.1 kilogram beef soup meat
• 2.1 kilogram beef soup bones
• 3.6 litre water, approximately 6 litres
• 4.beetroot, 16–17 large; scrubbed
• 5.lemon juice, to taste; start with ¾ cup
• 6.sugar, to taste; start with ¾ cup
• 7.salt and pepper, to taste; start with 1 tablespoon salt
• 8.1.5 kilogram beef mince, for meatballs; see method

Method

1. 1.Add the water to the soup meat and the soup bones. Let it come to the boil and skim very well. Simmer about 3 hours.
2. 2.Scrub the beetroot very well and add to the soup. Cook until the beetroots are soft, 2–3 hours.
3. 3.To prepare the meatballs: mince the meat with a thickish slice of white bread which has been soaked in water, 2–3 fried onions and a large, skinned and pipped tomato. Mix through an egg.
4. 4.Season the mince with salt — try 2 teaspoons — a dash of pepper, a dash of Tobasco and a dash of tomato sauce.
5. 5.Form the mince into little balls the size of a walnut, using a teaspoon to measure. Put into a pot of boiling salted water and simmer for ¼ hour. Drain.
6. 6.Sieve the beetroot soup. Return the clear soup to the pot.
7. 7.Skin and grate the cooked beetroot. Add to the soup.
8. 8.Season the soup with lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Start with ¾ cup lemon juice, ¾ cup sugar, a tablespoon of salt and a dash of pepper. Cook, taste and season until you have the required sweet-sour taste.
9. 9.Add the meatballs and simmer through.

Notes

• Card note: 'This soup freezes very well.'
• Classic Jewish sweet-and-sour beetroot soup (borscht style) with handmade meatballs. The balance of lemon juice and sugar is key — adjust slowly to taste.