Cabbage Borscht

Water

whole black peppercorns

1 T. dried dill weed

1 T. dried parsley

3-5 potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 small head of cabbage, chopped

1 onion, diced

2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. beef bouillon powder

1/2 cup pearl or pot barley

2 cans tomato soup

 

Fill a Dutch oven half full of water and bring to a boil. As the water is heating, add the spices. I put the peppercorns in a tea ball. Chop the vegetables and add them, and add the salt and beef bouillon and pot barley. Simmer for at least 30 minutes covered. Half an hour before serving, stir in the cans of tomato soup.

If you would like to add meat to the soup, you can use browned ground beef, or beef short ribs. Add it at the beginning and if raw, let the meat simmer for about an hour before adding anything else, scooping out the foam that comes to the top.