Borscht

Place the Beef Shank in a large stockpot and cover with Water (about 2–3 liters). Add 2 Bay Leaf, a teaspoon of Black Peppercorn, and 1–1.5 tsp Salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 1.5–2 hours until the meat is very tender.

Remove the meat from the pot, strain the broth into another pot, discard the bay leaves and peppercorns, and skim off excess fat. When cool enough to handle, shred or chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Peel and grate or julienne the Beet and the Carrot; finely chop the Onion.

Cube the Potato into 1–2 cm pieces and thinly slice or shred the White Cabbage.

Heat 2–3 tablespoons of Sunflower Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and sauté until soft and translucent, then add the beet and continue cooking another 5–7 minutes until the beet begins to soften.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of Tomato Paste, a splash (about 1–2 tablespoons) of Vinegar and a pinch of Sugar to balance the flavors; cook for a few more minutes so the mixture darkens and the tomato paste loses its raw edge. Add minced Garlic in the last minute of cooking.

Bring the reserved broth back to a simmer, add the potatoes and cook 5–7 minutes, then add the cabbage and simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 8–10 more minutes.

Add the sautéed beet mixture and the shredded beef back into the pot and simmer 5–10 minutes to marry the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed.

Ladle the borscht into bowls and garnish with chopped Dill and a generous spoonful of Sour Cream. Serve hot with rye or crusty bread; leftovers deepen in flavor and are excellent reheated.