Botvinya classic

Step-by-step preparation

Cooking time: 1 hr 30 mins

1. STEP 1

   

   How to cook botvinya? Prepare all the necessary ingredients. Botvinya can be made with meat and meat broth or with fish in fish broth. My family prefers meat, so I’ll introduce you to it. For it you will need lean meat, vegetables, kvass, herbs and the most important product without which it will not be tops - beet tops. Wash and dry vegetables and herbs. First, let's cook the meat, because we will need it along with the broth.

2. STEP 2

   

   Rinse the meat, I have pork, put it in a saucepan and fill it with cold, clean water. Precisely with cold water, so as not to boil the top protein on the meat, which will make the broth “empty”. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, skimming off the foam. Then reduce the heat to low, add onion, garlic, herbs and salt. Cook without covering for 40 minutes, until the meat is cooked. Remove from heat and cool.

3. STEP 3

   

   Cut the cucumber into strips and place in a bowl, if you are making it in a common plate, or arrange it in portions. Cucumbers are best from your own garden, but if you don’t have any, choose ones that are not large, firm, green and without damage. If they are even slightly rotten, throw them away without regret, because the rot has already taken root throughout the entire fruit.

4. STEP 4

   

   Cut off the tails of the radishes and cut into thin strips and add to the bowl with the cucumber.

5. STEP 5

   

   Finely chop the dill, parsley and green onions and add salt. Place in a bowl and pound with a pestle until they release their juices and become soft.

6. STEP 6

   

   Place the greens in a bowl with the chopped vegetables.

7. STEP 7

   

   Strain the cooled broth through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Pour in cold kvass and stir.

8. STEP 8

   

   Add mustard to the pan, add salt and stir. Adjust the mustard to your taste; besides, it all varies in spiciness, so there is no exact amount.

9. STEP 9

   

   Pour the resulting kvass into a plate with vegetables. Remove the stems from the beet tops and cut into thin strips. If the tops are large and have already become too hard, scald them with boiling water. But my tops are young and therefore this was not needed.

10. STEP 10

    

    Place the boiled meat in one piece or cut into strips and add to the botvinya. Season everything with salt, pepper if necessary, and serve with sour cream.

11. STEP 11

    

    Bon appetit.