Wear rubber gloves when peeling the beetroot and shredding the cabbage, otherwise you will have bright pink fingers from the beetroot, and purple ones from the cabbage!

(Serves four)

500 g shin of beef or soup beef, cut in large chunks
2 large onions
A few parsley and celery stalks
2 beef stock cubes
Half tsp each salt and black peppercorns
1 tbsp olive oil
3 large raw beetroot, peeled and diced
2 medium potatoes, diced
Half small red cabbage, finely shredded
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
Sour cream or plain yoghurt and chopped parsley to serve

Put the beef into a pan together with one of the onions, which has been peeled and quartered and the parsley and celery stalks.

Add a litre of water, the crumbled stock cubes, salt and peppercorns, and bring to the boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface, lower the heat and simmer gently for about two hours.

Take out the beef, put it on to a plate and cover with foil, then strain the stock into a jug and discard the onion and herbs.

Heat the oil in a large pan. Peel and chop the second onion and cook in the oil until soft but not brown. Skim any fat from the beef stock and add it to the pan, together with the beetroot and potatoes. Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Chop the meat finely, discarding any fat, then add it to the pan, together with the cabbage, parsley, vinegar and sugar and continue to cook for another 25 minutes. Taste and season as necessary. Ladle into warm bowls, top with a spoonful of sour cream, a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve with lots of crusty bread.