Svekolnik (pronounced Sveh kol nik)

Wash the beets, cut off and reserve the leaves and cook beets in water with lemon juice added, until soft. Take the beets out, let cool and peel them. Strain and chill the 'broth'. Julienne or dice the beets, combine them with the 'broth,' add sugar, eggs, chopped beet leaves, spring onions, and cucumbers. Mix in sour cream. Before serving, garnish with parsley and dill. If desired, one can also add cooked diced potatoes and/or peeled and diced raw apples. It might be a good idea to add some beet kvass (fermented beet juice). In Germany, I can find it bottled. If you can't, you can easily prepare your own. Here are some typical recipes (of kvass and of simple infusions): Simple beet infusion Peel the beets and grate them. Cover with boiling water and put in a warm place for 3-4 days. The ratio of beets to water is 1:2 by weight. Boiled beet infusion Peel and coarsely grate the beets. Cover with a cup of hot meat broth, add citric acid and bring to the boil over high heat. Take from the heat and let stand for 30 minutes. Beet-bread kvass Cube 0.5 kg (a bit over one pound) black rye bread, cover with 1.5 l (1.5 quart) warm boiled water, add 6 peeled and sliced beets and let stand for 2 days (in the sun during the day and in a warm place during the night. On the third day, strain.