Creamed Cabbage Soup
I have also added the ham right away into vegetable/broth if I am in a hurry. Grated carrots work well in this, and sometimes I grate right over the pan.
I have also added the ham right away into vegetable/broth if I am in a hurry. Grated carrots work well in this, and sometimes I grate right over the pan.
- Carbohydrate 17.477533322746 g
- Cholesterol 384.414550036055 mg
- Fat 112.724515657303 g
- Fiber 1.83238283448449 g
- Protein 86.4282994568945 g
- Saturated Fat 37.7276460121425 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (694g)
- Sodium 873.837706947602 mg
- Sugar 15.6451504882615 g
- Trans Fat 9.80491185640965 g
- Calories 1446 calories
Step-by-step
- In a Dutch oven, combine broth and vegetables.
- Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
- In a saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour.
- Gradually add milk; cook and stir for a few minutes. It will not thicken.
- Stir into vegetable mixture.
- Add ham, pepper, and thyme; heat through.
Boiling dairy directly in a vegetable broth often results in curdled fats and a grainy mouthfeel. Historical thickening methods relied on building a separate cooked starch base before introducing liquids. Creating a proper roux requires melting butter over medium heat and whisking flour thoroughly to eliminate raw starch flavors. This cooked paste acts as a structural matrix that traps milk proteins safely away from direct high heat.
Simmering the shredded cabbage, diced onions, carrots, and celery in chicken broth for twenty minutes softens cellular walls without disintegrating them entirely. Root vegetables and brassicas release natural sugars during this moist-heat phase, contributing body to the broth. Cutting pieces to uniform dimensions ensures they reach tenderness simultaneously inside a heavy Dutch oven.
Whisking cold milk gradually into the warm butter-flour mixture prevents lumps from forming in the pan. The starch swells as temperature rises, though incorporating high-fat dairy demands gentle heat control to maintain emulsion stability. Stirring continuously with a flat-bottomed wooden spoon prevents scorching at the base of the saucepan during this thickening stage.
Precooked diced ham and dried thyme enter the pot only during the final heating phase to prevent the meat proteins from tightening and turning rubbery. Residual warmth from the simmering vegetable stock is sufficient to raise the internal temperature of the pork evenly. Leftovers stored below four degrees Celsius remain stable for up to three days.
