Categories: Soups/stews, Beef, Russian 
      Yield: 8 servings 
  
      1 c  Navy beans, dry                     2    Small beets 
  2 1/2 lb Lean beef                           2 c  Green cabbage, shredded 
    1/2 lb Slab bacon                          2    Large leeks, sliced 
     10 c  Cold water                          3    Medium potatoes, cut 
      1    Bay leaf                                 Into eighths 
      8    Whole peppercorns                   1 cn (1 lb 13 oz) tomatoes 
      2    Cloves garlic                       1 tb Tomato paste 
      2 tb Dried parsley                       3 tb Red wine vinegar 
      1    Carrot                              4 tb Sugar 
      1    Celery stalk                        1 lb Kielbasa (opt) 
      1    Large red onion                     2 tb Flour 
      1 ts Salt (opt)                          1 tb Butter, melted 
      8    Beets for soup                    1/2 c  Sour cream (opt) 
  
  Cover beans with water and allow to soak overnight; cook until tender; 
  drain; set aside.  Place beef, bacon and water in large soup pot; bring to 
  a boil. Skim fat from surface. Add bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, parsley, 
  carrot, celery, onion and salt.  Cover and simmer over low heat for about 1 
  1/2 hours. 
   
  Scrub beets for soup and cook in boiling water until tender, about 45 
  minutes; drain and discard water; cool.  Peel and cut each beet into 
  eighths.  Scrub small beets; grate; cover with water to soak. 
   
  Remove meat from soup; set aside.  Strain soup into another pot and add 
  cooked beets, cabbage, leeks, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, 
  sugar, beef and bacon.  Bring to a boil and simmer 45 minutes. 
   
  Cut kielbasa into chunks and add with navy beans to soup.  Simmer 20 
  minutes more. 
   
  Mix flour and butter together to form paste.  Stir into soup to thicken 
  slightly.  Strain raw beets, saving liquid and discarding beets.  Add beet 
  liquid to soup. 
   
  Additional sugar or vinegar may be added for sweeter or more sour flavor. 
  Slice meat and arrange in individual soup bowls.  Pour hot soup with 
  vegetables over meat.  Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream, if 
  desired.