Step 1

Place dry mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot boiling water. Let them soak for 5 minutes.

Step 2

Peel, wash and cut into chunks, your vegetables (carrots, parsnip, celery root, leeks, and parsley);

Step 3

Place your vegetables and soaked mushrooms* (see notes below) in the large pot, cover with 10 cups of water, add a tablespoon of salt, bay leaves, and allspice and boil for about 30 minutes, uncovered;

Step 4

Prepare beets - peel them and slice in 1/2 inch slices; peel your garlic and slice the apple;

Step 5

Add beets, garlic, apple, and spices (salt, sugar, and marjoram) to the vegetable broth. At this time add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of lemon to preserve the beautiful color from the beets. Cook it for another half hour, uncovered;

Step 6

Add the remaining vinegar, and adjust seasoning with vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper, as needed.

Step 7

Discard all the vegetables and use a strainer to pour your borscht either into mugs to drink or to bowls to be served with mushroom pierogi.