By Crystal Rivera, The Nosher

This comforting soup is a cross between a meaty borscht and my current obsession: caramelized cabbage. Both the flanken (short ribs) and cabbage lend a hand in its richness. You might just find yourself not needing any bouillon for this one.

If you can’t find golden beets, any beet will do. I just love the goldenness it promotes in the broth. Please do not, however, cut any of the cabbages’ cooking time; the longer you cook them, the better. To make this vegetarian, add dried mushrooms for umami, and double the vegetables in the broth to make it heartier. A cup of pearl barley would be a nice addition, too.

For the cabbage:

1/3 ​cup​ ​olive oil
1 1/2 lb. green cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup leeks, halved and sliced
1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. sugar (optional)

For the broth:

vegetable oil
1-1 1/2 lb. flanken (short ribs)
2 carrots, unpeeled
2 celery stalks
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, halved crosswise
1 onion, unpeeled
1/4 cup fresh herbs of your choosing
10 cups water
2 1/2 tsp. salt

For the soup:

2 1/2 cups golden beets, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh herbs, to taste (optional)

Start by making the cabbage. Set a deep, large pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil.

Add the cabbage, leeks, salt, and sugar. Immediately turn the heat down to low. Stir every eight to 10 minutes (be careful to not interrupt the browning process by moving the cabbage around a lot) until the mix turns a deep brown, about 40 minutes. If at any point the pan looks too dry, gradually add a little more olive oil.

Once cooked, set the cabbage aside in a bowl lined with a paper towel. Pat down with more paper towels to remove any excess oil.

To make the broth, heat a large pot over high heat. Brown the flanken in batches, returning them to the pot when the last batch is done.

Add the vegetables, herbs, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and turn down to a simmer. For the first 15 minutes, check on the broth to remove any scum that rises to the top. I like to skim off some of the fat as the flanken simmers, but you may find it easier to do this once the soup cools down and the fat solidifies.

After 1.5 hours, discard the vegetables and herbs, and add the beets, carrots, and caramelized cabbage. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes, or until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste, and fresh herbs, if you’d like.

To read the complete January 2021 Dayton Jewish Observer, click here.