Lima Bean-Thickened Cabbage Soup

This may not be my highest rated recipe post, but it sure is comforting on a winter day.

I semi-cheated on the Pantry Challenge and bought the cabbage in December.  Cabbages keep in the fridge for weeks, and they were on sale for 49¢ a pound.  I was originally going to use it in a tuna bowl, then decided to use up the kimchi with that and the cabbage on a soup.

Somehow, I missed a can of tomato paste running past its date, and used all of it in here instead of part tomato sauce.  A can of cream corn was getting close; that went in instead of evaporated or coconut milk.

Alton Brown recently did one of his Saturday YouTube shows on his soup theory.  I more or less agree with it, even though some is traditional French culinary practice, and I like to think I've evolved past that.  The reason I'm linking the video is because I'm stealing his use of ground sumac as a finishing touch.

*1 C dry lima beans
1 Tb olive oil
*1 onion (I used half a red and half a yellow), diced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 small cabbage, about 2 lbs, cored and thinly sliced 
*1 15 oz can cream-style corn
* one 6oz can tomato paste
*3 C broth of choice
salt and pepper to taste
*1/2 tsp ground sumac

1.  The night before, or early in the day, sort and rinse the beans.  Soak in water to cover by two inches.  Drain and rinse.  These are getting mashed, so I spent about ten minutes taking off most of the skins.  They also rise to the top as the beans are cooked and can be skimmed off.  Or, you can leave them on and they will disappear in the finished soup.  Add soaked beans to a saucepan with fresh water to cover.  Bring to a low boil, then simmer until very tender, about 90 minutes.

2.  Drizzle oil into bottom of a soup pot.  Heat over medium and add the diced onion.  Cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes.  Sprinkle in the turmeric so it can bloom.

3.  Add sliced cabbage and tomato paste to the pot.  I did it one quarter cabbage at a time, so it could wilt enough that the full cabbage fit in the 6 qt pot.  Cook until cabbage starts to wilt and tomato paste is caramelized.  Stir frequently to avoid scorching.

4.  Add broth to the pot.  It will only come up about halfway.  Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover.  Stir every ten minutes or so.  Cook until cabbage is fully wilted, about half an hour.  Stir in the creamed corn.

5.  Meanwhile, drain the beans and discard any stray skins if desired.  Mash with a fork or potato masher into a slurry.  Stir into the soup, where it will add to the creaminess.

6.  Taste soup and add salt and pepper to taste.  All broths are different, so I'm not giving amounts.  Sprinkle in the sumac as a finishing touch, and serve hot.

Serves 6-8

Difficulty rating  :)