Did you make a big turkey last week? And afterwards, did you make turkey broth. And did you, not wanting to ever think about anything turkey-related again, fill your freezer with the broth where it will probably sit until next November?
My relationship with frozen broth runs between two extremes. Since I made the broth from scratch, and it’s like liquid gold, I tend to keep it for a special occasion. In my mind, I will dig it out of the freezer when I’m planning a fancy dinner party and will make some wonderfully rich soup that calls for homemade stock.
And at the other extreme? I tend to forget it’s even there.
In both cases those poor forgotten tupperware containers sit, unloved, in the back of the freezer. All that work, for nothing.
This post is not just to remind you that you have a freezer full of broth, but to encourage you to pull it out right now, for dinner tonight. Don’t wait for a special occasion. (if there is one, I can suggest something else to make, so don’t worry about that).
While you could go the Italian route and just heat up the broth with pastina or tortellini, here’s a slightly heartier, and healthier option. Just add an onion, cabbage and potatoes and you’ve got dinner. It’s that easy. I’ll write out the recipe below, but really there is not much more to it than that.
Now not only do you have dinner for tonight (and maybe lunch the next day if you’ve been especially ambitious in the broth department) but you’ve also freed up a lot of freezer space. (I’m super into cleaning out cupboards and shelves and closets these days) (much more on that next week).
P. S. The photo of the quince and persimmons below has nothing to do with the soup. But it was just so pretty I thought I’d include it since the soup photos are kind of boring.
cabbage + potato {soup}
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 4 -6
This soup is so simple because much of the goodness and richness comes from the broth. If you don’t have homemade stock, then you’ve really got another soup going on.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 1/2 head cabbage
- 3-4 medium potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt, pepper
- 6-8 cups turkey broth
- grated parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- Dice the onion, and add it to a soup pan with the olive oil. Add salt and pepper, and heat over a medium flame. Cook until the onion is softened, about 10 minutes.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 inch chunks.
- Cut the cabbage up into one inch pieces.
- Add the cabbage and potato to the pot and stir.
- Add the broth, bring to a boil and let simmer for a half hour, until the vegetables are tender.
- Serve topped with grated parmesan cheese.
I love homemade broth and try to have some every day. It is so nourishing.
I just thawed a container of broth and I will use it today to make this soup. Never thought of an onion and cabbage soup but I have a nice head of cabbage and it looks so good.
Thanks for the great idea.
Came out great!
glad to hear it!
I love this kind of food–I just wish I could serve it on something as pretty as that dish of yours! I will make this tomorrow night and since I seem to have more carrots than usual, I’ll add some carrot “coins” –the color will be nice and I won’t notice my boring bowl so much 🙂
Side note: While perusing the archives I came across 12-24-10 and I thought the photo was the of the most beautiful gold shell ornaments against deep green pine needles—well, it’s sea urchins(!) which are gorgeous of course, but I had to laugh at my first impression–hmmm–sea urchin ornaments–why not?? A bit aromatic, but………
Sea Urchins would make great ornaments! A bit dangerous, but beautiful.
This sounds delicious. Turkey broth is good in so many ways. A few years ago, though, I decided to make turkey broth after Thanksgiving, freeze it and use it the next Thanksgiving to make gravy and dressing, with a top up of the current years’ drippings in both. What a difference that made! So, I forego any number of great tasting things in order to add that extra punch to our Thanksgiving meal.
My dear, if you find some stock in the freezer that you think needs to be discarded, please remember sweet Pico
Indeed, he loves a good brothy soaking of his food!
Wow! This is an old favorite of my Sicilian Nonna! I very often will make it to serve in our restaurant. Also I have added pancetta, or sausage and beans. Delicious!!
Wow! And of course, pork is always a welcome addition to anything.
Having a stash of good homemade broth is like finding gold! So many amazing things you can make…I always make a big batch of turkey stock from raw turkey legs & wings just to have on hand and when there is a carcass to be made into broth, my mind automatically turns to the sort of “gumbo” soup we love so much! Here’s the link if you wish to check it out! http://oracibo.com/recipe/turkey-gumbo-soup/ Not everyone loves okra like we do…so substitute another veg. Here’s to a winter full of delicious soups like the one in this post Elizabeth.
I love okra, but it’s hard to get here in Rome.
Elizabeth, I made this again, on purpose (!) instead of a way to use up leftovers. This time with a few hunks of Christmas ham–I can’t believe how great it is–lots of carrots cut in coins make it pretty, too. Sautee the aromatics then slow cooker all the way, 3 hrs. Perect.
Thanks again.
Sounds perfect!