The quintessential eastern European soup: borscht.  Of all Dad's recipes, this one is proving to have the greatest longevity - we all make it.  My own enhanced version here has been tested across nations to much acclaim (Peter).

The Borscht

Ingredients

The supreme vegetable soup of all time - as much art as science. Following amounts are a guide only...
Half a pot of Stock (see below)
4-6 Beets
4 medium Potatoes
6 Carrots
Quarter of a Cabbage
2 medium Onions (fried)
2 Leeks (fried)
Can of mixed beans/bean medley
2 cans tomato sauce/puree (just tomatoes)
1 Lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper
Sugar
Dill
Sour cream
Crusty bread and garlic for garlic toast maybe
Stock: 3 options:
  1. Shop-bought (Trader Joe's) beef stock (2 cartons).
  2. Four large beef bullion cubes dissolved in water.
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A world-class borscht often starts with a world-class pork stock.

Method

3. Traditional pork stock
Two or three smoked pork (ham) hocks boiled gently in half a pot of water for 90 minutes or so.  Remove, strain, place stock in fridge overnight, scoop off fat before using. Cut up meat from pork hocks and add to soup at the end.
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Scoop fat off the top.
General Assembly

1. Cut off beet tops and bottoms, scrub very well to remove dirt (don't peel), trim crusty brown bits from around tops, add to stock and boil for 15 mins or so.  Remove, let cool a bit. Leave stock boiling gently.

3. Cut potatoes into 3/4 inch cubes or so and add.
4. Cut carrots into 1/2 inch pieces (or a bit smaller) and add.


5. Peel beets, halve cross-ways if large, cut into straws (~1inch x 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch or a little bigger).
6. Add tomato puree/sauce. Add juice of 1 lemon and add.

7. Add finely chopped onions.  Trim leeks, slit lengthways, wash out dirt, slice.  Fry onions and leeks together  in separate pan until turning brown then add.  You can skip frying if too much trouble.
8. Gentle boil until potatoes are nearly soft.

9. Shred cabbage as fine as your knife allows, add. Add bean medley.

10. Test for cooked-ness, add plenty of salt and pepper to taste. If needed, add a table spoon of sugar (+/-) to balance any tomato and lemon sourness; or, add lemon.

11. Serve with dill, sour cream, crusty bread, maybe garlic toast, and a story about how your Dad's borscht was pretty good, but not as good as yours.
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Place the cut-up pork from your stock meat and add to bowl, with dill.
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My borscht is more red than purple - on account of the tomatoes.