Russian Cabbage Soup

Dib's's Note:

I found this recipe on the net doing a recipe request search.

• Total Time: 4 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 ½ lbs chuck , cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 cups cooked tomatoes , , chopped
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 3 quarts cold water
• 1 medium head of cabbage , shredded
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• sour cream
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot cover the beef, tomatoes, onion, bay leaf and garlic with cold water.
2. Let stand for 1 hour and simmer covered for 3 hours.
3. Remove the bay leaf, add cabbage, sugar, onion, salt and pepper.
4. Simmer for 15 minutes more.
5. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and offer Sour Cream at the table.

Reviews

[Picholine]

I found this recipe all over the web, so it seems to be the standard. It's good in a basic way but the flavor needed a little enhancing. I tasted it towards the end and decided to add beef stock, more vinegar, more sugar, a little bit of tomato juice (V-8 actually) and a splash of beer I was drinking. That turned it in to a four-star recipe.

[Tracey Imper]

I have been to russia and they served something similar to this when I was at a small village's hospital- in the poorer regions of russia they do not put tomatoes or the meat in it.