13. It sounds weird, but it's good. Cabbage-Tortellini Soup.

No, seriously. It's quite nomz, and it makes use of an unfairly maligned ingredient: the lowly cabbage/chou/kraut.

These ingredients are super-humble. Humble to the point of forelock-tugging, even. But the combination transcends their lowly origins and results in something that one would not be ashamed to serve to guests (as I was not ashamed to serve it to Fisher and Rhys' overnight guests W. and E. and their mom Anne tonight).

I may have had a glass or four of wine with Anne prior to preparing this soup, and another time I might not have been quite so generous with the hot sauce (though, really, it produces a most agreeable afterburn as made). This overzealousness has been corrected in the rendition given below.

Cabbage-Tortellini Soup
Serves four hungry children, one adult who wants seconds, one adult who is fine with one bowl and one adult who is going to eat whatever is left when he gets home.

4 thick slices good bacon*, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
8 cups beef broth (or 4 cups double-strength broth and 4 cups water, which is what I used)
About a third of a decent-sized head of cabbage, cored, outer leaves removed, shredded
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
A few good pinches of salt
1/2 tsp red chile flakes
8 ounces tortellini
1 cup fusilli or other short pasta (You could also use 1 lb tortellini, which is what the original recipe called for, but honestly I think that might have been a bit much)
1 tsp or thereabouts thick hot sauce, such as Drunken Angel Hot Sauce
Grated Monterey Jack cheese, for serving

In a soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until just browned and crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon; pour off all but about 2 Tbsp fat.

Return pot to medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add garlic and parsley; cook, stirring, 1 minute more.

Add broth, cabbage, carrot, salt, chile flakes and reserved bacon. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in tortellini and/or other pasta. Return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes more.

Serve with Jack cheese sprinkled over each bowl. Nom nom nomz.

*I am starting to think I should start a separate category of soups tagged simply "Bacon." What say you?

Comments

[Anne Horner]

This was DELICIOUS!!

[Amy]

Yes, a bacon category would be great. That way I can buy a Costco-sized pack of bacon and cook it into delicious soups (and maybe a quiche or two, since I can't resist) over the course of a week or so.

As soon as I can cook again, I think this is the first one I'm making. I love bacon; I love cabbage; I love tortellini. D'you think I could make large quantities and freeze?

[Polly]

Bacon needs a whole new stunt blog Molly!

[Molly]

Amy: OK, a bacon category it is. I think this soup would freeze beautifully, for the most part, but I would keep out the tortellini or pasta until I was ready to reheat & serve it. Have never had great luck with freezing/reheating cooked pasta. You could even cook it separately and just stir it into the hot soup.

Polly: Sure, next year, maybe.

[Shady Lady]

I am enjoying all the yummy soup posts! I'm not cooking any at the moment. There doesn't seem to be much point with the Lizard King in Afghanistan. He's home in September and I can't wait to cook in my new kitchen!!