2 or 3 lbs. beef shank
2 tsp. onion, finely chopped
3 or 4 whole allspice
3 or 4 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 or 3 carrots, sliced lengthwise & halved
1 stalk celery, cut into 2 inch lengths
2 cans beets, sliced
1 lb. carton sour cream
1 tbsp. vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
Bowl of cold mashed potatoes

Make a rich clear beef stock with beef shank covered with water and boiled. Skim off all brown scum to produce a clear broth. Add onion, allspice, peppercorns and bay leaf. Simmer about an hour until beef is tender. Add carrots and celery and continue to simmer gently until fork tender. Add beets and simmer 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a quart saucepan, blend sour cream, vinegar, and sugar. Take 1/2 cup of hot beet soup and blend into cold sour cream mixture. Gradually continue to blend more of the hot beet soup into the sour cream mixture until it is also hot. Then combine. Turn heat off and borscht is ready to serve. Serve with cold mashed potatoes in soup bowls. Noodles may be substituted for mashed potatoes and pieces of the beef shank eaten with this Polish soup.