Shchi Recipe, Russian Cabbage Soup

It is surprisingly easy on the pocketbook, easily modified base on what components are available, always keeps properly, and has plentiful minerals and vitamins in each serving. Shchi, a warm Russian cabbage soup, serves up melting beef and veggies.

It can be made with meat or vegan. When the soup is made with cabbage, it is called sour shchi or kislye shchi, when it is made with sorrel, kale and other veggies; it is called green shchi or zelyoniye shchi. This soup likes to bubble and sit on your cooktop for half a day, making it the best-nourishing dish when winter arrives. It is very soft and plentiful.
Ingredients:
• Black peppercorns to taste
• 8 cups water or vegetable stock
• 2 large peeled and coarsely chopped russet potatoes
• 2 large peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1 large head cabbage cut into shreds
• 1 large peeled and coarsely grated carrot
• 1 chopped celery rib
• 1 bay leaf
• Fresh dill for garnish
• Sour cream for garnish

Directions:
1. In a big pan, pan-fry onion in butter till translucent.
2. Include cabbage, carrots and celery and cook approximately 3 mins, stirring repeatedly.
3. Include bay leaf, peppercorns and water or stock.
4. Take to a boil.
5. Minimize heat and cook, covered, 10 mins.
6. Include potatoes to soup and bring back to the boil.
7. Minimize heat and simmer, covered, up until potatoes are soft, around 15 mins.
8. Include the tomatoes and bring back to the boil.
9. Minimize heat and simmer, open, for 5 mins.
10. Balance spices.
11. Take out bay leaf and peppercorns from pot, if preferred.
12. Serve soup in hot bowls with dill and sour cream as garnish.