Potato-Cabbage Soup
Comforting and hearty are two words that come to mind when thinking of this soup. Potato-Cabbage soup is a thick, flavorful savory soup that most root vegetables will find a home in. I used some veggies that were in my refrigerator—a small parsnip, a bit of a rutabaga, celery, onions, garlic—what many of us have as staples in our kitchen. Cabbage and potatoes are just about always available, are friendly to our budget and fill us up as a first course or as a meal in itself. Don’t leave the caraway seeds out—they add an earthy flavor and aroma to the soup that makes it special!
Foodie Lit
Laurie Easter has an unusual life. She dwells in a remote area, off the grid. Her bathtub is outside, she birthed on the dirt floor of her cabin and she lives much of her life as part of nature. Laurie is a caregiver, nursing friends and family through illness, staying with others as they approach death and facing difficulties of all sorts. She is brave, not turning away from struggles, yet continues to search for the joy that simultaneously exists with sorrow.
All the Leavings is a beautiful memoir about how we leave and how those we love leave. Leaving refers to societal losses, leaving for college or marriage, leaving the womb in birth, and leaving in the most permanent way, death.
Potato-Cabbage Soup
Serves 6
1 garlic bulb, tops cut off and roasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
1 small rutabaga, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons whole caraway seeds
2 teaspoons dried dill or 2 fronds fresh and then chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cubed
4 cups (about 1 pound) shredded or chopped green cabbage
1 small apple, cored
6 cups stock of choice
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Peel excess papery skin off garlic, cut tops off and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast in oven or toaster oven at 375F for 30 minutes. Cool and reserve.
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Warm olive oil in heavy pot over medium low heat. Add onions and cook 3-4 minutes until transparent, stirring occasionally.
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Add celery, parsnip and rutabaga and stir to keep from sticking. Add more olive oil if needed. Add potatoes. Cook about 4-5 minutes.
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Add caraway seeds, dill, salt and pepper. Stir to coast veggies and simmer 2-3 minutes.
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Add cabbage and stir to combine. Sauté 4-5 minutes, stirring to keep from sticking.
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Add stock. I used vegan stock. You can add chicken stock or bone broth if you want a heartier soup. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer 30 minutes. Move off heat, taste and adjust seasoning.
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Garnishes: You can serve it simply as is, as I did. Some like a dollop of sour cream, which makes the soup vegetarian and dairy. Some like croutons and snips of the tops of green onions.
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The soup keeps in the refrigerator for 4 days and freezes well.
Expandthetable suggestions
Vegetables choices: I used parsnip and rutabaga because I had them on hand. Add zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc. Each will slightly alter the flavor but the soup will still be hearty and comforting.
Allium free: Omit garlic and onion. Add a radish, sliced thinly, and a small fennel bulb, sliced thinly. Add both to sauté in the beginning of the recipe.
Sweet and sour flavor: Add 1/2 cup golden raisins with the apple.
