Cajun Cabbage Stew

I made this soup/stew a couple of weeks ago, and it turned out very well.

My husband thinks I could open up a soup restaurant, but truthfully soup is one easy thing to make, requiring very little measuring. You just want to get the general amounts close and then let your creativity add the rest.

Given that winter is upon some of us all ready (it’s even cold here in southern New Mexico), such dishes are welcome and hearty on cool evenings.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 tablespoon of bacon drippings or butter
1 cup of chopped onion
1/4 cup of chopped green bell pepper
1 stalk (rib) of celery, chopped
1 poblano or Anaheim chile, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons of chopped garlic
1/2 pound of ground pork or beef
1/2 pound of mild andouille or other spicy smoked sausage
6 cups of water
3 teaspoons of chicken or beef bouillon or base (like Better Than Bouillon)
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 medium head of cabbage, halved, cored and sliced
1 large carrot, scraped and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
Splash of apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp of fresh basil
2 tbsp fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Brown your ground pork or beef (or frankly a combo would be fine) until no longer pink.
Add the vegetables except for the cabbage and potato and saute until softened.
Add the water, cabbage, potato, and canned tomato
Bring to a light simmer and cook for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are done.
Add the balance of the ingredients save the sausage and cover, letting the soup sit for a couple of hours if possible.
Add the sausage an reheat.

SERVES: 8

NOTES: you can use a milder sausage if you prefer and leave out the chiles, but I wouldn’t. Also I leave the sausage out until the end because I like the taste of Andouille and don’t want it all washed out by the cooking process. This freezes up well if you have leftovers!

SOURCE: Deep South Dish