Red Cabbage Apple Soup

Red Cabbage and Apple Soup
Martha Rose Shulman

Yield6 to 8 servings. Time1 hour 15 minutes

This is a sweet and spicy winter soup, inspired by a classic red cabbage and apple braise. The yogurt is important here; it enriches the soup at the end. You could also use fat-free sour cream.

Featured in: Recipes For Health: An Apple A Day.

Vegetarian, Healthy, Gluten Free, High Fiber, Low Cholesterol, Apple, Cabbage, Low Fat Yogurt
Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil or unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 pounds red cabbage, cored and shredded (1 medium head)
Salt to taste
7 cups water
1 tablespoon clover honey or other mild honey
4 tart apples, like Granny Smith or Pink Lady
1 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup thick Greek-style plain low-fat yogurt

Nutritional Information

Preparation

Heat the oil or butter over medium heat in a heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the spices and stir together for another few minutes, until the onion is tender. Stir in the cabbage and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the cabbage is limp, about 5 minutes. Add the water, honey and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the apples. Core one of them and slice it very thin. Place slices in a bowl of water acidulated with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and set aside. Core and either dice or slice the remaining apples. Add them to the soup, cover and continue to simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the apples are tender and the soup is sweet and fragrant. Add pepper to taste, and adjust salt. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve, topping each bowl with a generous spoonful of yogurt and a few slices of apple.

Tip

Advance preparation: This will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. You may want to add more water.