Last Thursday, 8 December was Inmaculada Concepción. The weather was so wet, it was a day for staying in, not for going out to celebrate the Virgin Birth.
In between the showers, Paul harvested some of the glut of red cabbage from his huerto and decided to experiment with these vibrant and healthy-looking brassicas and whatever else he had in the house. After all, he couldn't go out to buy any ingredients, as shops were shut for the religious holiday.
Paul came up with two different ideas, one a smooth creamy vegan soup made with potatoes; the other a chunky sweet and sour “stew”, with carrots.
1. Jovan and Paul’s Vegan Cream of Red Cabbage Soup
Taking on board German stepson Jovan’s vegan principles, Paul came up with this tasty offering, which is also gluten-free.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 head of red cabbage. Use fresh cabbage, otherwise the soup may taste slightly bitter.
- 1 large potato: Use a starchy variety. It helps to make the soup creamy.
- ½ red onion.
- 6 cloves of fresh garlic, roughly chopped.
- Parsley as garnish.
- Lemon (or lime) juice.
- 1 tsp ginger powder. It gives a very nice warm taste to this soup. You could also use fresh minced ginger.
- 1 tsp ground black pepper.
- 1 tsp salt.
- 2 tbsps olive oil.
- 1 small cup of almond or coconut milk.
- ½ litre of vegetable stock.
METHOD
- Roughly chop the red cabbage. Peel and chop the potatoes too. Since we will be blending the vegetables in the soup, you can roughly chop all the vegetables.
- Heat oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and onion. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add cabbage, potato, ginger powder, salt, and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes. Sauteing for a few minutes before adding the stock brings out the flavour of the cabbage, but don't overcook it as it will be cooked with the stock too.
- Add vegetable stock, mix well, and cover the pan. Simmer for around 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and blend the soup with a blender until it turns smooth and creamy.
- Add almond milk to the soup and mix. Switch off the heat
- Finally, add lemon juice. Drizzle some olive oil/almond milk on top and garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve with course farmhouse bread.
ACCOMPANIMENT
Serve with a toasted beer or a stout. I’ve tried it with a Christmas ale from LIDL and with Guinness. Both go well with this soup.
Guten Appetit!
© Jovan Le Knorz and Paul Whitelock
2. Paul’s Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage Soup
Paul’s second experimental dish was inspired by his love of Asian cuisine. Hence the sweet and sour element.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 small diced onion
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 3 diced carrots
- 1 finely shredded red cabbage head
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- ½ litre of chicken/vegetable stock
- 2 tbsps honey
- 2 tbsps red wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- 1 small cup of finely chopped dates
METHOD
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and then add chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook the onion down for a few minutes until it begins to caramelise.
- Next, add the carrots and stir again - making sure to scrape up any leftover onion bits.
- After that, it's time to add the shredded cabbage. Cook it down until it starts to turn bright purple.
- Once it's looking vibrant, add the can of tomatoes and stir.
- Next, add the stock, red wine vinegar, honey, salt and chopped dates and turn the heat down to a simmer.
- Simmer the soup for at least 45 minutes to soften the cabbage and to develop as much flavour as possible.
ACCOMPANIMENT
Garlic bread or a crusty farmhouse cob.
A strong dark beer, eg Murphy's Irish Stout or Schwarzbier from LIDL, or a hearty and full-bodied red wine, such as Jumilla or Valdepeñas.
© Paul Whitelock
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