Russian Cabbage Soup - Kamufox

Ingredients

• Three tablespoons unsalted butter
• One large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• One medium head of cabbage, about 2 1/2 pounds, shredded (about 10 cups)
• One large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
• One stalk of celery, coarsely chopped
• One bay leaf
• 8 cups vegetable stock or water
• Two large russet potatoes peeled and coarsely chopped
• Two large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Sour cream, for garnish
• Fresh dill for garnish

Okay then, Make It

Gather the ingredients. Add the butter to a large Dutch oven or heavy-duty pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the cabbage, carrot, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, frequently stirring, about 3 minutes. Add the bay leaf and vegetable stock and boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are crisp-tender about 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and bring them back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes (or undrained canned tomatoes) and bring the soup back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaf from the pot. Serve topped with fresh sour cream and fresh dill. Enjoy!

Bonuses

When the soup is made with sauerkraut, it is known as sour shchi or kissed shchi, and when it is made with sorrel, spinach, and other greens, it's known as green shchi or melonite shchi.

A typical Russian meal starts with zakuski (appetizers), moves on to a hearty bowl of soup, proceeds to an equally strong main course, and finishes with a not-too-sweet dessert. Soup is, or traditionally used to be, consumed daily in Russia, explaining the seemingly endless varieties.

Along with shchi, the most popular and traditional Russian soups include

• Rassolnik (kidney-pickle soup).
• Borscht (beet soup).
• Botvinnik (fish soup with green vegetables).
• Solyanka (hangover soup).
• Kharcho (Georgian lamb and rice soup).
• Ukha (fish soup).
• Sukhoi gribnoi (mushroom soup).
• Okroshka (cold vegetable soup with meat).
• Schav (sorrel soup)

Recipe Variations

For a vegan option, replace the butter with vegetable oil or vegan butter. Vegan sour cream or vegan Greek yoghurt may replace the sour cream.

Sauté about 1/2 cup of chopped red bell pepper along with the onion.

Add an extra tomato or a few tablespoons of tomato paste for a richer tomato flavour.

How to Store and Reheat Cabbage Soup

Refrigerate Russian cabbage soup in an airtight container within 2 hours, and consume it within four days.

To freeze leftover cabbage soup:

1. Let it cool completely and transfer it to a freezer container or a resealable freezer bag.
2. Label the container with the name and date and freeze the soup for up to 6 months.
3. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight.

Reheat cabbage soup in a saucepan on the stovetop until it reaches at least 165 F, the minimum safe temperature for leftovers.

Cover the bowl of soup with a damp paper towel and microwave it on 100% power for about 3 minutes, stirring every 45 to 60 seconds.

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Total: 60 mins

Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Yield: 4 quarts

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