July 2002

Ann Kelley's Borscht

Those of you who know me, know that I am "built low to the ground for picking potatoes", due to my Ukrainian heritage. Being built low to the ground doesn't make me an expert on cooking food, however I consider myself a better cook than I am a musician. So that counts for something. I think for the next few months I will feature the Ukrainian National Meal: Borscht...

Click here for the lyrics to my song "Borscht"*, where I sing out my recipe in rhyme. It's all there, and easy to follow. Now I'm also including a recipe for borscht which is really quite different. I got this recipe from Ann Kelley of Lincoln, Nebraska. She made me this meal some years ago when I was staying in her home. She informed me that she tried my recipe (from the song), but liked her version better. I tried it, and have to admit I enjoyed it very much, but also informed her that it didn't have much to do with the Slavic borscht that I grew up on. At any rate, here is her recipe, and I'll let you be the judge.
   
Ingredients
  • 1 lb beef (cubed stew meat
  • 5 cups beef broth
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbs. butter
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 2 carrots (sliced
  • 5 beets (shredded
  • 1/2 cabbage (shredded)
  • 1 8 oz. can tomato paste
  • 2 tsp. vinegar
  • 2 potatoes (cubed)
  • 1 lemon (sliced)
  • sour cream

Put beef in cold stock with salt, pepper and bay leaf. Simmer for 1/2 hour. Saute onions, carrots, beets and cabbage in butter. Add to stock. Add tomato paste and vinegar to stock, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add potatoes to stock and simmer covered until meat is tender. garnish with lemon wedges and sour cream.

When the City of Angels Sleeps

This month's feature is a recent tune I composed on May 30th and performed on June 1st on the Prairie Home Companion live broadcast from the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California. I believe that you can still hear this piece of music (and the entire broadcast) by logging onto the Prairie Home Companion website. I call this piece "When the City of Angels Sleeps". Ritchie Dworsky, the pianist and musical director of PHC, wrote this chart. Ritchie and I, along with dobro player Greg Leisz performed this on the broadcast. I wrote it on the mandolin, but I'm sure it could be played on any number of instruments quite beautifully. Ritchie referred to it as a parlor tango! I hope you like it.

Comments, questions or other recipes for borscht or other fine treats? Write to me at PO Box 11952, Minneapolis MN 55411 or send an e-mail to Borscht@PeterOstroushko.com.

Song manuscripts can be found here

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