Instructions

1. Place dry mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot boiling water. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
2. Peel, wash and cut into chunks, your vegetables (carrots, parsnip, celery root, leeks, and parsley);
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;
4. Prepare beets - peel them and slice in ½ inch slices; peel your garlic and slice the apple;
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;
6. Add the remaining vinegar, and adjust seasoning with vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper, as needed.
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.