About once a year, I get both cabbage and sauerkraut in the share. When that happens, it is time to make Kapusta soup. Kapusta is the Slavic word for cabbage. In my husband's family, when they say kapusta, they are generally talking about sauerkraut. John's grandmother made a kapusta soup when he was a kid from cabbage, sauerkraut and yellow split peas. This is the recipe I am using today. I wasn't sure of proportions for the sauerkraut, so I thought maybe I could find a recipe online. What I found was that this is a very traditional Ukrainian recipe. The only difference being the addition of fresh cabbage. I think the cabbage adds a freshness and heartiness to the soup, so I completely understand why his grandmother added it. It is cooking now on the stove and smells heavenly.
Kapusta Soup
- 1-1/2 cups dried yellow split peas
- water
- 1 large onion*
- 1 stick butter*
- 1/2 large head cabbage*
- 2 1-lb bags homemade sauerkraut*
- 64oz chicken stock
Soak split peas overnight in water.
Peel the onion, cut in half and then slice thinly. Melt butter in large Dutch Oven; add onions and saute until translucent. While onion is cooking, coarsely chop cabbage. Add the cabbage to the onions and cook until cabbage wilts.
Add stock, sauerkraut, peas and soaking water.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.
Simmer until split peas are cooked.
*CSA ingredients
Note: I always forget when I make this that I want to cook the split peas before I add them to the soup. Otherwise, they take e long time to cook.
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