My girlfriend bequeathed to me half a medium-sized head of cabbage which she did not use when she made her kalam polo (cabbage pilaf). What the !@#? am I supposed to do with half a head of cabbage? Well, this is what I did:
Spicy Cabbage Soup
Serves two (or just one fat guy like me)
Ingredients:
1 half head of (bequeathed) cabbage, shredded
2 cups V-8 or similar
1 slice of pickled jalapeño (more if your heat tolerance so dictates), diced fine including the seeds
1/4 red pepper, diced large
1 small Persian cucumber, diced large
1/4 tsp caraway seed
5 or 6 peppercorns
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Method:
Heat oil in a 1-1/2 to 2 quart pot and sauté jalapeño until oil is seasoned. (The jalapeño I used was definitely over 5,000 Scoville. It was hot and I ain't no wimp in this regard. Use as much or as little as you like. Heck, use a habanero.) Put everything else into pot and bring to a boil for a moment. Reduce heat to simmer and cover tightly. I like to put a damp dishcloth between the pot top and the pot to act as a seal which turns the whole thing into a makeshift pressure cooker. Let simmer on low for about two hours or until the cabbage is as tender as you like it.
I can see fooling with this and adding cumin or maybe an anchovy or two or maybe even some noodles. It was, however, damn good. Amazing what you can do with other folks' dinner debris.
