Spring delight: The simplicity and health of young cabbage soup
Early spring is the perfect time for enjoying a variety of soups. You can savour sorrel soup, beet green soup, or soup made from young cabbage throughout the season. My grandmother often prepared the latter. Her recipe is both remarkably simple and delicious.
Young cabbage soup is an excellent choice as a starter for lunch. It also makes for a light yet satisfying dinner. It's delicate, filling, and packed with vitamins. My grandmother's spring soup recipe is also a lifesaver when I'm pressed for time to prepare a meal.
A simple recipe that always works
The recipe for young cabbage soup is straightforward; only a few basic ingredients are needed. A head of young cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onion, and vegetable broth form the foundation of this dish. It's worth including a few sprigs of herbs like dill or parsley, as they complement the soup beautifully.
This is a healthy dish full of vitamins
Young cabbage soup is not only delicious but also a healthy option. This vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron, and it contains fibre, which aids digestion. Consequently, this soup doesn't weigh you down while providing energy. Like other cabbage-based soups, it pairs wonderfully with a slice of fresh bread. The vegetarian version is delightful, but you can also serve it with bacon or sausage if you like.
Young cabbage soup
Ingredients:
- 1 head of young cabbage,
- approximately 1.5 - 2 litres of light vegetable broth,
- about 300 grams of young potatoes,
- about 300 grams of lean sausage (optional),
- about 140 grams of smoked bacon (optional),
- 2 carrots,
- 1 onion,
- dill or parsley to taste,
- salt, pepper, allspice, bay leaves to taste,
- 1 tablespoon of flour,
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste,
- 1 tablespoon of butter or lard.
Preparation method:
- Peel and dice the potatoes, carrots, and onion. Shred the cabbage and finely chop the sausage.
- In a pot, heat the butter or lard and sauté the onion. If preparing a meat version, add the sausage and stew for 5-7 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, carrot, and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper, then sauté for a few minutes.
- Pour in the broth and add allspice and bay leaves. Reduce the heat and cook covered for about 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.
- Toward the end of cooking, prepare a roux. In a pan, melt butter or lard and add flour. Stir to prevent lumps, gradually pouring in half a cup of clean broth. Stir again and add to the soup, along with a tablespoon of tomato paste. Bring to a boil.
- Serve the soup with herbs and optionally fried bacon.
- Bread complements young cabbage soup well.
