Russian Cabbage Soup (Shchi) Recipe

This is a tasty vegetable soup that's simple to make, very hearty, and delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 head of cabbage, shredded
• 3 potatoes, chopped
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 radishes, diced
• 2 leeks (white part only), chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 quarts beef broth
• 4 garlic cloves, diced or crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp caraway seed
• Salt, to taste (1-3 tsp)

For serving:

• 1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp sour cream or creme fraiche

Preparation

1. Saute the onion, radish, leek, carrot, and garlic for 10 minutes, or until soft.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for an hour.
3. Salt to taste. If you used low sodium broth, you might have to add up to a tablespoon of kosher salt. Best to taste and test to preference.
4. For best results, cool and refrigerate overnight to meld the flavors. It's still good the first day.

Serving

• Serve bowl with fresh dill, parsley, and sour cream mixed into each bowl.

Notes

• The salt makes a big difference in the flavor.
• The cabbage won't look like it's going to fit, but once it cooks down a little, it'll be fine.
• You could substitute veggie broth for vegetarians.
• You could also add meat to make it more filling.
• You can add demi-glace to the broth to make it even more rich if you want.