• Roast the Beets: Preheat the oven to 425℉. Wash half of the beets (1 kg) and wrap each one individually in aluminum foil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. Set aside.

Beet Soup

• Clean and peel the fresh beets, carrots, celery root, and parsnips, then cut them into small pieces. Cut the leek in half lengthwise and rinse it thoroughly.
• Peel the onion and roast it directly over the open flame of the burner. If using an electric stove, slice the onion in half, place the cut side down in a dry pan, and heat over high heat until it darkens in color and chars on the surface.
• Place your prepared vegetables, onion, and dried mushrooms in a large pot along with the spices (bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns). Cover with water and add half of the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over low heat. Once the broth begins to boil, reduce the heat and season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining freshly squeezed lemon juice to preserve the rich red color. Simmer, covered, over very low heat for about 2 hours.
• PREPARE BEETS: Remove the roasted beets from the foil and peel them. Then shred the beets.

  Cut the apple into quarters, leaving the skin on. Peel the garlic cloves and press them with the flat side of a knife to crush while keeping them in one piece.
• Turn off the heat and add the shredded beets to the vegetable broth along with the apples, garlic and marjoram. Gently press them to submerge. Cover with a lid and let it sit for at least 8 hours, or ideally overnight, in the fridge for the best results (ensure it has cooled before placing it in the fridge).
• Strain the soup through a colander, pressing the solids to extract all the liquids. Heat the borscht until warm, but DO NOT BOIL to preserve the color. Finally, season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and if you like, add some more dried marjoram.
• If the broth is not sour enough, add more lemon juice. If the beet broth isn’t sweet enough, you can add a little sugar. The flavor should be slightly sour with a subtle hint of beet sweetness. Serve very hot in small bowls with uszka dumplings. Enjoy!