Ciorba de Varza --- romanian sour green cabbage soup

                                           Ciorba de Varza
                         romanian sour green cabbage soup

This soup is more like a stew. It takes time to cook it but its worth it. Also it tastes better the more
you have to rewarm it. This dish is a "farmers dish". This is not a recipe you would find in a 
Restaurant. Neither in Romania nor elsewhere in the World. This is a dish only Mom or Grandma
is cooking for you. When I was with my ex-husband and I was in Romania with his family, they
cooked it quiet often. I really, really liked this soup. My former mother in law (may she rest in peace)
wrote me the recipe down so I can cook it myself. Fortunately I understand enough romanian to
read her recipe ;-).

Ciorba basically means soup and de Varza means with Cabbage. When you want to cook this 
soup, make sure you have everything home and you have time on your hand. You don't want to
rush it. First of all, find Tarragon. Its a herb you can find in good grocery stores pre-packed. 
Usually in the vegetable aisle. When you are home, remove the leaves and put them in a glass 
with Vinegar. Tarragon is also called Pepper Kraut because of its pepperish taste. This glass can 
last forever in your fridge and when you need it, just take it out. It also goes good in regular stews. 


This is what you need:

- 1 small head of green cabbage, shredded

- 2 Carrots, chopped

- 1 Bell Pepper, chopped

- 1/4 Celery Root (Celeriac), chopped

- 2 Parsnip, chopped

- 3-4 Oxtail 

- 1/2 can Tomato Paste

- vegetable bullion (optional)

- Salt, Vinegar, to taste

- Tarragon


This is how you do it:

Get the biggest Pot you have in the house. Fill it with water and put in the Oxtail. Let it simmer for
at least 1 hrs.. Remove the brown foam every once in a while. In the meantime you can chop your
vegetables.

After the first hrs add the Carrots, Parsnip, Celery Root and the Bell Pepper. Let it simmer for another 1 hrs. at least. 

After at least 2 hrs add the Tomato Paste, Salt and Vinegar. The soup should get a nice sour taste. But be warned, when you add the green cabbage you might need to add more salt and vinegar. They soak up a lot. Try your soup. Is it strong enough? If not, you can add a bit vegetable bullion. 

Now you can add your green cabbage. The cabbage doesn't need to long to cook. Taste it again. You might have to adjust your salt and vinegar here. At the very last take like a handful of Tarragon, 
chop it roughly and ad it to the soup. Therefor you don't need pepper.

Traditionally the soup is served with a splash of sour cream (what gets mixed in) and bread.
Be warned again: it will smell so good that you can't wait till its done and you can have your first
plate.

Guten Appetit
Pofta buna