Polish Christmas Eve Beet Soup

Ingredients (12)

• 3 1/2 pounds beets (peeled, rinsed and sliced)
• 1 slice rye bread (with crust)
• 1 pound beets (peeled, rinsed and sliced)
• 1/2 pound vegetables (Polish soup vegetables: carrot, parsnip, celery root, leek, peeled, rinsed and sliced)
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 clove garlic (mashed with a little salt)
• 2 cups beet sour
• 1 dried mushroom (soak and reserve 1/4 cup strained liquid)
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon parsley (finely chopped)