I usually spend Succot in Seattle with my family and the weather is always really cold! I know I should be talking about how much I love spending time with everyone when I return to my hometown (and I really do), but all I can think about is putting on layers and layers of clothes to eat in the succah every night. We put on our heavy coats, enter the succah and hope the soup will warm us very quickly.
As a kid, my Succot memories in chilly Seattle always existed around my Savtah’s incredible cooking and her recipes are still in full-swing today. For years, I’ve been making her couscous, tongue, meringues, ice cream and more! But until this year, I never tackled two of my favorite recipes that my Savtah made every Succot: Cabbage Borscht and Oxtail Soup. Making these recipes in my own home has brought back so many sweet memories I know you will love these hearty stews as much as I always have.
When most people hear the word ‘borscht’, they might run the other way but this cabbage borscht is like nothing you’ve ever tasted! Meat falling off the bone, brown sugar for added sweetness and cabbage cooked for hours in a rich tomato broth. I’ve never seen anyone turn away my Savtah’s cabbage borscht. In fact, most people even go back for seconds! I know I always do.
If you aren’t already warmed up by the satisfying cabbage borscht, this oxtail soup will do the trick! This “kitchen sink soup” literally has everything but the kitchen sink in it. Just throw all of your ingredients in to the pressure cooker and boil for 25 minutes. It doesn’t really get any easier than that, does it?!? You can use split peas, barley, potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, pasta, and so much more. Use as many or as few ingredients as you want and this soup will be delicious no matter what, just don’t forget the oxtail!
Note: If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can use a regular large pot for these stews. You”ll just need a lot more cooking time on the stove.
PrintCABBAGE BORSCHT
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. short ribs
- 1 lbs. flanken
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 46 oz. bottle tomato juice
- 1 14.5 can whole tomatoes
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 large cabbage, shredded
Instructions
- In the bottom of a pressure cooker, heat the olive oil then add the onion, short ribs and flanken and brown on all sides. Should take around 10 minutes.
- Add the water, close the pressure cooker and cook for 20 minutes. When the pressure comes down, refrigerate the meat for 2-3 hours or freeze for 1 hour. The fat will congeal on the top of the meat and you can skim it off before continuing the process.
- Add the tomato juice and bring to a boil.
- Add the sugar, lemon juice and cabbage.
- Place the cover on the pressure cooker and cook for 25 minutes.
- Once the pressure comes down, take off the cover and continue boiling the soup for 1 hour or more. Just keep cooking the soup until the meat is falling off the bone.
- Note: if you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can make this soup in a regular pot. Just boil the soup for 3-4 hours.
OXTAIL SOUP
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beef oxtail
- 6–8 marrow bones
- 1 package frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 parsnip, chopped
- 1 turnip, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- 1/2 cup barley
- 1/4 cup split peas
- 1/4 cup elbow macaroni
- 2 potatoes
- 2 Tbsp onion soup mix
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker, place the frozen mixed vegetables, carrots, celery, parsnip, turnip, onion, parsley and dill.
- Rinse the barley and split peas and add to the pressure cooker.
- Add all remaining ingredients and cover with water. Close the pressure cooker.
- Bring water to a boil (should take around 20 minutes) then cook for 15 minutes.
- Note: if you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can make this soup in a regular pot. Just boil the soup for 1-2 hours.
