Clear Fermented Beet Soup from Fresh From Poland: New Vegetarian Cooking from the Old Country by Mic

Ingredients

• 1 ounce (30 g) dried porcini mushrooms
• 5 smoked plums
• 2 cups (500 ml) juice from the fermented beet
• 3 allspice berries
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 star anise pod
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Red wine vinegar
• 2 pounds (900 g) beets, peeled and halved
• 1½ quarts (1½ L) Vegetable Broth or water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 bay leaves
• About 3 cups (720 ml) mineral water
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 black peppercorns
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 pounds (900 g) beets, peeled and sliced