feast.

Magic gulag soup

So, I’ve fallen off the wagon a bit. To be honest, I’ve been swamped and haven’t been cooking much. Bear with me. Fortunately for you and me, it’s finally feeling like fall; it’s generally cool, but crisp, a great relief from the seemingly interminable sticky, hot summer. Best yet, it’s perfect soup weather — and I couldn’t be happier. There are few things more calming and soothing than standing over a big, gurgling pot of soup on the stove, especially given the hectic few weeks I’ve had. An added bonus, doing so on a Sunday provides meals for the week, when I’m crazed and starving and have no patience to cook.

I have already shared with you my favorite soup, and like the lentil chestnut soup, this soup far exceeds the sum of its (rather measly) parts. However, while perhaps more attractive in appearance, this one bears the unfortunate moniker of “cabbage soup.” The original recipe, from 101 cookbooks, is titled “rustic cabbage soup,” likely in an effort to gussy up the name. Unfortunately, “rustic” is insufficient to offset the connotations of “cabbage soup,” which evokes images of gulags and warty, though endearing, Russian peasants in babushkas. Well, that or a terrible Seventies fad diet. Lucky for us, this is a surprisingly flavorful soup; I could eat it every day. Actually, as aforementioned, I usually make a large pot and eat it over the course of the week. I never get tired of it. It is hearty without being heavy, warming, really healthy, comes together in about half an hour, and is dirt cheap. Like magic, it’s everything you wanted in a soup. And all from cabbage, potatoes, and beans. Who knew?

Cabbage soup with white beans
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt
• 1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, skin on, cut 1/4-inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cube good vegetable boullion (I like Rapunzel)
• 6 cups water
• 1 15.5 oz. can white beans (such navy or Cannellini), rinsed and drained
• 1/2 medium cabbage, cored and sliced in ribbons
• grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
• freshly ground black pepper, to serve

Heat a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add oil and warm. Stir in potatoes and a large pinch of kosher salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown and become tender, about five minutes. Add garlic and onion and cook (uncovered) another minute or two, until garlic is fragrant. Add the boullion cube and smash a bit to loosen. Add water and beans and bring pot to a boil. When boiling, reduce to a simmer. When simmering, add cabbage and cook until cabbage softens. Taste and adjust seasoning as necesary.

Serve with a generous heap of Parmesan and black pepper.

Serves 4 to 6.