Bacon Cabbage Soup

 We have winter weather now and soup is always good. I had about six slices of thick sliced applewood smoked bacon and a small head of cabbage so made bacon cabbage soup for supper. As I did not want it all cabbage, I added some frozen carrots, onions and potatoes to the soup. Turned out very well and we ate all of the small batch I made. I really don’t mind leftovers of soup as it usually is better the next day but this was gone so I am going to write down what I did so I can make it again. 

 The key is having some good chicken stock and sautéing the carrots and onion in about a tablespoon of the bacon fat so they have a browned taste for the added flavor.

Any vegetable will taste better for the few minutes spent sautéing it in some butter or other fat. You could vary the vegetables in this soup but this is a good, simple combination and highlights the cabbage.

Bacon Cabbage Soup

4 servings

6 slices of thick sliced bacon roughly chopped

one medium onion chopped

2 medium carrots sliced (I used about a cup of sliced frozen carrots)

2 small potatoes about 5 ounces peeled and chopped

4 cups chicken broth or stock

2 cups sliced (shredded) fresh cabbage

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon dry thyme

salt and pepper to taste

 Cook bacon in large sauce pan until crisp. With slotted spoon remove the bacon to drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat and sauté the

onions and carrot slices till the onions are opaque and the carrots are starting to brown. Add the chopped potatoes and cook for about 2 minutes more. Add broth, bring to a slow boil and add the bay leaf, thyme and salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes and then stir in the cabbage and bacon. Reduce heat to low and cook about 15 to 20 minutes longer until the cabbage is tender but not limp. Serve hot with cornbread or rolls or crackers.