Adding the shredded cabbage at the end lets it melt into this earthy winter soup, providing a subtle sweetness. Don’t neglect the final step of adding a hint of acidity—it’s surprising how much this can pull the flavors into focus.
8 SERVINGS
2 |
tablespoons olive oil |
½ |
pound Italian sausages |
½ |
pound beef stew meat (1-inch cubes) |
¼ |
cup red wine vinegar, plus more to taste |
2 |
carrots, chopped |
2 |
celery stalks, chopped |
1 |
onion, chopped |
3 |
garlic cloves, chopped |
1 |
pound lentils |
10 |
cups water |
1 |
bay leaf |
1 |
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes |
|
Salt |
1 |
pound cabbage |
|
Freshly ground pepper |
Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Slit the sausage casings and crumble the meat into the pot. Discard the casings and break the meat up with a spoon. Chop the stew meat as finely as possible by hand and add it to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meats are well browned, about 15 minutes. Be careful not to let them scorch.
Add the vinegar and stir; it will evaporate almost immediately. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a strainer and shake it to remove as much grease as possible. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the grease in the pot.
While the meat is draining, add the carrots, celery and onion to the pot and return it to medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Add the lentils and stir to coat with the flavorings. Add the meat, water, bay leaf, tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer. Cook until the lentils have softened, about 45 minutes.
Cut the cabbage into quarters. Trim out the core and shred the cabbage coarsely. About 15 minutes before serving, add the cabbage to the pot and stir to mix well. Let the cabbage melt into the soup, then season to taste with a good grinding of pepper and more salt and vinegar, if necessary. Remove the bay leaf and serve.