Recipe - Vegetarian Borscht

1 ounce Dried porcini mushrooms; (30
g)
2 tablespoon Vegetable oil
One half pound White mushrooms; trimmed,
wiped
; clean, and cut or sliced up
One fourth Inch thick
1 lg Onion; cut into 1/4inch
; dice
10 small Or 7 to 8 medium beets; with
greens,
; peeled, quartered,
; and cut across into
; 1/4inch slices
2 md Carrots; peeled and cut
; across into
; 1/4inch rounds
1 md Parsnip; peeled and cut
; across into
; 1/4inch rounds
1 small Or One half large celery root;
(about Three fourths pound),
; peeled and cut into
; One half inch cubes
1 One half pound Mashing potatoes; peeled and
cut into
; 1/2inch cubes
One half small White cabbage; (about 3/4
pound),
; cored and shredded
3 lg Clov garlic; smashed,
peeled,
; and very finely
; chopped
3 tablespoon Tomato paste
1 md Bunch dill; fronds only,
; coarsely chopped
One fourth cup Sugar
One half cup Cider vinegar
2 tablespoon Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper;
to taste
Coarsely chopped dill
Sour cream
Boiled potatoes; optional

Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes. Drain,
reserving the liquid, and squeeze out the excess liquid. Strain all the
soaking liquid through a finemesh sieve. Reserve the liquid (there should
be 1 cup) and the mushrooms separately.

In a tall narrow stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the fresh
mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Stir in the onion
and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.

Add the beets, carrots, parsnip, celery root, 8 cups water, and the
mushroom soaking liquid. bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5
minutes. Stir in the potatoes, cabbage, garlic, and, if using, the beet
greens. Dissolve the tomato paste in One half cup of the liquid and stir back
into soup. Return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir
in the reconstituted mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes, or until all the
vegetables are tender.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the dill, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Pass bowls of chopped dill and sour cream at the table.

Yield: 8 maincourse