Saturday, March 3, 2012

Dilly Cabbage Soup


It's raining hard here today, in the way that it rains only in Savannah.  The sky is gray with that eerie light that is seen when storms let up, yet are not quite done.  It's lunchtime, and I am hungry.  Very hungry.  It's too bad outside to do my grocery shopping as I had planned for today, so while rummaging around, I saw a slightly tired, small head of cabbage and some slightly sprouting potatoes.  Cabbage soup, it is!

DILLY CABBAGE SOUP
makes about 4 quarts

1 lb potatoes, diced
1 lb onion, diced
1 small cabbage, shredded finely with a knife (about 2 lbs)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs dried dill
3 Tbs veggie bouillion granules (I like Vogue)
1 -2 tsp salt to taste
1 tsp black pepper
10 cups water

Coat the bottom of a heavy 6 qt soup pot with the olive oil, and heat over medium high heat.  Add the potatoes and onion, stirring constantly, till the onion is translucent.  Add in the salt, pepper, then the dill, water and bouillion granules.  Bring to a boil and add in the cabbage.  You will have to press it down to get it all in.  Bring back to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium low, making sure to keep it simmering.  Let it simmer for half an hour to wilt the cabbage and meld the flavors.

As made above, this is 6 WW points plus per quart.  Yes, you heard me, per quart! That's about 1 point per cup.  You can't get better than that for something so yummy and filling.

This is a very simple, but delicious soup.  You could flavor it many different ways - imagine it with curry and peas for an Indian flavor!  How about some Italian sausage (real or soy) and basil?  Lots of paprika (smoked paprika is my favorite), caraway seeds, white wine and sour cream for a Hungarian twist?  Really, the possibilities are endless.