Rice and Smothered Cabbage Soup

By tinathorn

Ingredients

• Cabbage:
• 2 pounds Savoy cabbage (red or green will do in a pinch)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
• Soup:
• Smothered cabbage
• 3 cups good quality stock (chicken, beef or veggie) or water
• 2/3 cup Arborio rice
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano
• Salt

Details

Adapted from thegoudalife.tumblr.com

Preparation

Step 1

Smothered Cabbage:
Detach and discard the first few outer leaves of the cabbage. Shred the remaining head of cabbage very fine, either with your food processor’s shredding attachment or by hand. Be sure to remove the cabbage’s inner core.

Put the onion and olive oil and a large saute pan and turn the heat to medium. Cook the onion, stirring, until it’s softened and taken on some color. Then add the garlic. When the garlic has turned a pale gold, add the shredded cabbage. Turn the cabbage over 2 or 3 times to coat it well, and cook it until it has wilted.

Add salt, pepper, and the vinegar to the pan. Turn the cabbage over once, completely, then lower the heat to minimum and cover the pan tightly. Cook for at least 1 1/2 hours, or until it is very tender, stirring from time to time. Add 2 tablespoons of water, if needed, during the cooking if the cabbage becomes too dry. When done, taste and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Allow it to settle a few minutes off heat before serving.

Soup:
Smothered cabbage
Freshly ground black pepper Put the cabbage and broth into a soup pot, and turn on the heat to medium. When the broth comes to a boil, add the rice. Cook, uncovered, adjusting the heat so that the soup bubbles at a slow but steady boil, stirring from time to time until the rice is done. It must be tender, but firm to the bite, and should take around 20 minutes. If while the rice is cooking, you find the soup becoming too thick dilute it with a ladleful of homemade broth or water. The soup should be on the dense-ish side when finished.

When the rice is done, before turning off the heat, stir in the butter and the grated cheese. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into individual plates and allow it to settle a few minutes before serving.