It is sad because cabbage is so underestimated! There are many ways to use cabbage and different varieties, each of them needing a different treatment ; Red Cabbage, Savoy Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, plain smooth leaf white cabbage and not forgetting Spring Greens. (Do we have spring greens in Australia?)
And there are much better ways to treat a cabbage other than boiling it to death? So if you have experienced eating what began as a handsome, crisp green cabbage dished up into a pale, limp, lifeless mess or finely chopped and smothered in insipid mayonnaise, then I suppose you can't be blamed for hating it.
My favourite cabbage is blanched for a few minutes in boiling water, or steamed, drained, put back in a saucepan with a knob of butter and some freshly grated nutmeg. OK, so this is a great veg to eat in winter and you can serve it with just about anything and to be honest, it is a cheap vegetable. One whole cabbage can feed 6 - 8 people or more.
So let me help you renew your love of cabbage! A simple recipe or two will surely bring back the love and we all need a little more of that in our lives. Here is a great soup, fast and easy to cook and being budget conscious, you know it will be a cheap eat - but not a cheap flavour.
Keeping in mind that I am still trying to give you food that is really value for money, food that tastes good, is good for you, then I am sure you will enjoy this Cabbage Soup. I am making cabbage rolls later in the week so I will post you that recipe in the next couple of days.
Cabbage Soup
Don't be fooled by these basic ingredients. This is a very tasty and filling soup.
Ingredients
1/2 Savoy cabbage, roughly chopped (the one with wrinkly leaves)
1 tbls olive oil
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrots finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 leek finely chopped
1/2 sweet potato chopped
1 400g tin crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
bunch of herbs; oregano, parsley, thyme or whatever you have chopped
1 litre vegetable stock
Grated parmesan (optional)
Few herbs to garnish
Heat olive oil in large pot and add onion. Cook until soft then add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add celery, carrots, leek, sweet potato and allow to sweat for 5 minutes or so. Keep stirring and when the carrot is almost done add the cabbage, herbs, stock, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for approximately 30 minutes until all the vegetables are soft but not falling apart. Check seasoning.
Serve piping hot in a bowl with chopped herbs for garnish and some grated parmesan if desired.
Serves 6 and cost calculated to $1.25 per person.
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