Sweet And Sour Borscht Soup

There's nothing more welcome on a chilly night than a steaming bowl of soup. Here's a hearty, warming meal-in-a-bowl that's perfect for such an occasion. Preparation is sur¬prisingly quick, since the processor grinds the meat and chops and shreds all the vegetables for you. Offer thick slices of Dark & Hearty Rye Bread (page 90) or Whole Wheat Country Loaf (page 89) and butter to complete a simple and satisfying wintertime menu..

INGREDIENTS

• 3 medium-size beets with leafy tops
• 1 small onion
• 1 pound lean, boneless pork, trimmed of fat and cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon salad oil
• 2 large carrots
• 1/2 small head red or green cabbage
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
• 4 cups regular-strength chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• Salt and pepper Plain yogurt

METHOD

Insert metal blade. Discard stems and coarse leaves from beets; reserve tender leaves. Rinse and dry reserved leaves, then place in work bowl and process, using on-off pulses, until coarsely chopped. Set aside. Chop onion; set aside. Grind pork, a portion at a time (or all at once in a large-capacity processor).

Heat oil in a 5-quart kettle over medium heat. Add pork and onion; cook, stirring, until meat is browned.

Meanwhile, change to shredding disc.shred carrots; then shred raw beets as directed for cooked beets. Set aside. Change to slicing disc and shred cabbage.

Add cabbage, carrots, beets and beet leaves, lemon juice, sugar, dill weed, broth, and water to browned meat in kettle. Bring to a boil over high heat; then cover, reduce heat, and simmer until cabbage is tender to bite (about 45 minutes). Sea¬son to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into indi¬vidual bowls; pass yogurt to spoon into individual portions. Makes about 10 cups (4 to 6 main-dish servings).