Recipe Corner: Hearty Cabbage and Chicken Soup

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By Christine Vartanian Datian

Ingredients:

1 medium size head cabbage, cut into pieces or shredded

1 large onion, diced

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

3 stalks of celery (and tops), diced

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2 medium carrots, diced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 medium green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 large cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced or shredded or 1½ lb. thick lamb chops or trimmed boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 11/2-inch cubes

1 cup crushed or Italian-style stewed tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon each crushed basil, thyme and oregano

Sea or Kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, and dried mint

1/2 cup medium bulgur

8 cups water or chicken, beef or vegetable broth (or a combination of water and broth)

1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Juice of one lemon

Lemon wedges as garnish

Crushed red pepper flakes, Aleppo pepper as garnish

Olive oil

Preparation:

Boil, broil, or bake the chicken breast until done. Cool and cut into bite-sized pieces, and put aside. If using lamb, brown lamb chops or shoulder in a little butter or olive oil, drain, and put side.

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add the cabbage, celery, carrots, potatoes, bell pepper, and remaining ingredients (except the parsley), and 8 cups of water or broth, and stir to combine.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, spices, bulgur, and lemon juice, and bring to a full boil. Add the chicken or lamb to the soup, stir, cover, and cook for one hour on medium low or until the vegetables and potatoes are tender; skim away any froth on top of the soup.

Add the chopped parsley and cook for 10 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf and serve with lemon wedges and crushed red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper on the side.

Serves 6-8.

*Christine’s recipes have been published in the Fresno Bee newspaper, Sunset magazine, Cooking Light magazine, and at http://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/

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