Country cabbage soup. Perfect-o for rainy spring days.
I must admit that I’m not a very good food blogger. I make things up as I cook so I never use measurements or remember what I put in it, and I always seem to eat the food before I remember to take a picture of it.
{Then again, I’m probably saving you from the horror of my cheap camera and terrible food styling!}
Despite this, an update on my food adventures from the Easter weekend…
Saturday night, my sister and I experimented with non-dairy coconut lime creme brulée, which tasted just fine, but it was turned out more like a custard than a creme brulee (didn’t pull out the blow torch this time) and it had a funky texture. Coconut milk just doesn’t seem to do the same trick as whipping cream. I wouldn’t give you a recipe that wasn’t near-perfection, so it will remain a work-in-progress for now.
Then Sunday morning, we woke up to the sweet smell of crescent rolls, served hot and tender from the oven with blackberry honey – it was most delicious, and one of the easiest pastry recipes ever. Official recipe is being delivered as we speak (or type…).
Also, I’m waiting for pics from my gal pal to give my official *raving* review of Judas Goat. All to come, soon soon soon!
(I really wish I could remember recipes & pictures. I’m sorry.)
A rainy day view from my apartment. Terrible, I know.
So, what I do have to offer today is my country-style cabbage soup, and this soup is PERFECTION for our rainy spring days.
In the tradition of my farming grandmother, I really try to make a pot of homemade soup every week – it’s super healthy, a quick and full meal for lunch, and it uses up whatever is in my fridge or freezer. Plus making soup is a wonderful way to spend a Sunday (or holiday Monday) afternoon.
You can easily make this a hearty vegetarian soup by cutting the chicken breasts and using vegetable stock instead. Also, feel free to add some dry white or red wine for flavor, and add and all vegetables you might have in your fridge: mushrooms, turnips, leeks, corn, kale, spinach, bell peppers… you name it!
{Click here for the recipe & the rest of the post}
Country Cabbage Soup
- 8-10 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (homemade is always best, but if that’s not an option, go for low-sodium)
- 2-3 large potatoes, diced
- 4-5 stalks of celery, leaves too, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 head (~4 cups) of green and/or red cabbage, coarsely chopped
- 2 cooked chicken breasts
- 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 c. pot barley
- 1/2 c. of sauerkraut with juice (optional – this was just left in my fridge)
- Juice of half lemon (can also use apple cider vinegar – something to give it a zing)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 whole cloves
- 5 sprigs each of thyme and parsley
- A spritz of Braggs for flavour (can also use soy sauce or tamari)
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tbsp. sugar (can use brown or white, or your sweetener of choice like honey or agave nectar – helps to balance the flavours)
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a pan, heat up your oil and then sauté the carrots, celery, onion and garlic for about 10 minutes. Then, in a large soup pot, bring stock to a boil and toss in those diced potatoes. Once the potatoes are tender, add the sautéed veggies and everything else into the big pot. Allow to simmer until cabbage is tender and pot barley is cooked. Serve steaming hot.
{Optional} Top it off with a dollop of sour cream and/or horseradish.
