Cabbage Soup

My friends, I have been holding out on you.  I admit this.  I have discovered a fantastic use for cabbage.  I did not know this, but cabbage is apparently really good for you (see this blog, under "In Praise of Cabbage").  Before locating this soup recipe, my only way to prepare cabbage has been to stir-fry it in fat or oil until it collapses and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.  I like cabbage that way, but Justin was getting tired of it and requesting new ways of eating it or no longer buying it.  Fair enough.  Cabbage was 6lbs for $1 a couple of weeks ago and I couldn't resist the price.  I snagged one and then schemed.  I located this recipe.  Love. It.  I'm a creamy soup person and I especially love soups that are pureed or partially pureed that don't require heavy cream to make them creamy and delicious.  This soup is great - creamy yet made up of only vegetables and spices.  I doubled some of the spices and added bay leaves (LOVE bay leaves), pureed 2/3 instead of the whole thing, and cooked it for longer than the original recipe.  I've included all of my changes below.

Cabbage Soup

• 4 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 large potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 medium head green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1/4 tsp thyme [I did 1/2 tsp]
• 1/4 tsp basil [I did 1/2 tsp]
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• [I added 2 bay leaves]
• ground black pepper to taste

[I used the slicing mechanism on my food processor for all of the vegetables, since all of them call for "thinly sliced"]

Combine vegetables and spices and sauté in oil until cabbage collapses.  Add chicken stock, bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are tender and puree-able, 20-30 minutes.  Puree about 2/3 of the soup using a blender or food processor [I found out the hard way, do NOT use a hand blender, it won't puree anything and will just make the soup look like it's straight out of the garbage disposal]. Serve.