Borscht made with finely chopped tomatoes

Borscht made with finely chopped tomatoes: Method

1. Heat a large stockpot over high heat and add oil.
2. Season ribs with salt then add to the pot and sear on all sides until dark brown (you may need to do this in 2 batches, depending on the size of your pot).
3. Remove ribs and reserve, pour any excess oil out of the pot. Allow to cool slightly.
4. Add onions to the potband cook over medium heat, add vinegar and gently scrape the solids from the bottom of the pot.
5. Cook onions until soft and caramelised.
6. Add beetroots, chicken stock, concentrated beef stock and 2L water to the pot. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook about an hour until the beetroot is soft but still have some resistance when a knife is poked in.
7. Remove the beetroots and reserve. Add ribs and tomatoes to the pot, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, until the meat is very soft and falling off the bone (about 4-5 hours).
8. When the ribs are ready, remove them from the soup and set aside. Allow soup to cool slightly before blending with the beetroot until very smooth.
9. Strain through a sieve to remove any lumps. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Remove meat from the bones and shred/cut to bite sized pieces. Discard bones and fat.
11. Add meat back to the soup and cook for a further 5-10 mins until the meat is heated through. Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream, cracked black pepper and dill.