Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup

Amarante

Wed, Sep 18 2024, 4:17 pm

This was like the soup my Bubbe made and transported me back 5o her kitchen

It does need to be made in two days but that actually makes it easier since essentially you let the shank cook and produce the delicious stock. Cool and the flavors marry and the fat is easy to get rid of and the meat is easier to dice to add in.

I was home so I cooked on the stove but the stock could easily be made in a crock pot if that suits your lifestyle.

I didn't add the dill to the soup in the pot but chopped up a bit for people to add at the table if they wanted since I wasn't sure whether I wanted it to be incorporated.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

For the stock:

4 pounds bone-in beef shank
12 cups water
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
3 onions, peeled
4 stalks celery with leaves
1 bay leaf
16 peppercorns

For the soup:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1 head savoy cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Combine beef shanks and water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a very low simmer. Use a strainer to skim off any foam on the surface. Add carrot pieces, whole onions, celery stalks, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Simmer for 4 hours, skimming the surface occasionally.

Strain the stock. Discard the vegetables but reserve meat. Allow stock to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a covered container and refrigerate overnight. When beef shanks are cool, remove meat from the bones. Discard bones and gristle. Dice meat and any remaining marrow into small cubes. Cover the container and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, heat vegetable oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in garlic and 1 diced onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add paprika and cook 1 additional minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly wilted and reduced in bulk, about 8 minutes.

Remove beef stock from the refrigerator; skim and discard any fat. Pour stock into the pot; stir in reserved chopped beef. Add tomatoes with their juice. Bring soup to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the soup, partially covered, until cabbage is quite soft, about 1 hour.

Stir in lemon juice, sugar, dill, salt, and pepper. Add more water, if desired, for a thinner soup. Cook for 5 minutes, uncovered. Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.