The Perfect Cabbage Soup
If you never had it, I can honestly say you haven't lived!
Today, one of my favourite soups received an upgrade and it is perfectly in line with my previous articles and my ethic.
Let me get straight to the point:
Do you remember my article on food waste, a compilation of other nutritional therapists, chefs and food-savvy friends?
If not I urge you to read it. The information in this article is not to be missed.
So what makes today's recipe so special?
Other than being one of my favourite winter (or any colder days like today) comfort-foods.
It is hearty, filling and delicious. But the greatest thing about this recipe is that you can make it yours, in every possible way.
How?
By using any of your vegetable leftovers...
Use my soup as a base and then add whatever you have in your fridge that you know you won't be using any time soon, including stock of herbs, cabbages, and like me today the long stem of kohlrabi (another of the brassica family of vegetables, so good for your liver), 3 leaves of kale (with stocks), which looked a bit tired, the core of courgettes (you know the bits leftover from spiralising or shredding vegetables), the root part of celery, the tough, green bits of leeks and the root part, the core part of cauliflower leaves. I even added the leftover core of a couple of shaved carrots I used yesterday to make spring rolls.
SAY STOP TO FOOD WASTE!!!
The soup can easily be prepared in advance, portioned and frozen for 1-2 months, or as I do, make a meal out of it for the next 3 days. I promise you, it tastes better and better as you reheat it.
Ready to go!
Recipe
Serves 6-8 - and taste better the next day)
2 litres of water
1 litre of chicken both broth (add more water, if you do not have any. or add a cube of low-salt, organic chicken stock, or two)
1 savoy cabbage (cut into 4-6 wedges - do not remove the core, it will keep the leaves together)
500 g new potatoes (cut into halves, skin-on)
200 g organic, free-range air-dried unsmoked bacon lardons (or pancetta)
8 organic, free-range sausages (without sulphites and free of artificial additives, and wheat, gluten-free)
2 medium red onions (cut into brunoise)
3 banana shallots (cut into brunoise)
3 sticks of celery (chopped)
1 leek (cut into brunoise)
1 tbsp herbes de Provence (or any other dried herbs, or a mixture of fresh/dried rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, oregano, marjoram, etc.)
Any vegetable leftovers...
Salt
Pepper
Method:
Blend and bring water and stock to the boil.
In a large stock pot, dry-fry the lardons (or pancetta) with the dried herbs, and colour slightly on medium-low heat.
Add the chopped onions, shallots, garlic, celery and leek and melt gently with lid on for 5-7 minutes.
Add the chopped sausages cut into 3-4 pieces each, and the potatoes. Stir well, but gently for 3 minutes.
Add the hot liquid, and stir gently. Bring to boiling point and reduce heat to low.
Add the cabbage and the prepared leftover vegetables, and place the lid on.
after 5-10 minutes, skim the foam from the top and replace the lid.
Season and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
Leave to rest for a minimum of 2 hours so that the flavours can mix perfectly and infuse the liquid. Re-heat gently and serve.
Serving with wholegrain mustard (a great taste enhancer) makes the soup whole. Carb lovers can also serve the soup with a slice of sourdough.