Shchi

Ingredients

• 900 g bone-in beef shin or short rib
• 3 litres cold water
• 1 onion, halved, for the broth
• 1 carrot, halved, for the broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 black peppercorns
• 450 g sauerkraut, drained
• 2 tbsp clarified butter or sunflower oil
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, coarsely grated
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 450 g waxy potatoes, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper
• 150 ml soured cream, to serve
• 3 tbsp chopped dill, to serve
• Dark rye bread, to serve

Before you cook

• Rinse the beef under cold water and pat it dry.
• Taste the sauerkraut and rinse it briefly if it is aggressively sour, then squeeze it dry.
• Slice the onions, grate the carrots and cube the potatoes.

Steps

1. Put the beef in a large pot, cover it with the 3 litres of cold water and bring it slowly to a gentle boil.
2. Skim every trace of foam from the surface as it rises.
3. Add the halved onion, halved carrot, bay leaves, peppercorns and 1 teaspoon of the salt.
4. Cover the pot and simmer on low for 1 hour 45 minutes until the meat falls away from the bone.
5. Lift the meat out onto a board and strain the broth into a jug, discarding the spent vegetables.
6. Put the sauerkraut in a saucepan with 350 ml of water, cover it and simmer for 40 minutes until it loses its raw bite.
7. Melt the clarified butter in the empty stockpot over medium-low heat.
8. Cook the sliced onions for 6 minutes until translucent.
9. Add the grated carrot and cook for 3 minutes.
10. Stir in the tomato paste and fry it for 2 minutes until it darkens.
11. Pull the beef off the bones and tear it into bite-sized pieces.
12. Return the strained broth to the pot along with the potatoes and the torn beef.
13. Simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender to the point of a knife.
14. Stir in the stewed sauerkraut with its liquid and the crushed garlic.
15. Simmer for a final 15 minutes and season with the remaining salt and plenty of black pepper.
16. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let the shchi stand for 25 minutes so the flavours settle.
17. Ladle into bowls, add a spoonful of soured cream and a shower of dill to each, and serve with rye bread.