Hearty Romanian Cabbage Soup with Smoked Pork

Name: Hearty Romanian Cabbage Soup with Smoked Pork
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 200 g smoked pork belly or hock, cut into 1-2 cm cubes; 30 g olive oil; 1 large onion (approx. 150g), quartered; 2 cloves garlic; 1 carrot (approx. 100g), peeled and roughly chopped; 1 red bell pepper (approx. 150g), deseeded and roughly chopped; 20 g tomato paste; 800 g sour cabbage (sauerkraut), rinsed, squeezed dry, and roughly chopped; 800 g water or pork/vegetable broth; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1/2 tsp dried thyme; 2 bay leaves; 1/4 tsp black pepper; Fresh dill, chopped, for serving; Sour cream or plain yogurt, for serving

Thermomix recipe: Hearty Romanian Cabbage Soup with Smoked Pork. Ready in 70 minutes. Serves 4. Step-by-step Thermomix instructions on Chef Amai.

Ingredients

200 g smoked pork belly or hock, cut into 1-2 cm cubes
30 g olive oil
1 large onion (approx. 150g), quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot (approx. 100g), peeled and roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper (approx. 150g), deseeded and roughly chopped
20 g tomato paste
800 g sour cabbage (sauerkraut), rinsed, squeezed dry, and roughly chopped
800 g water or pork/vegetable broth
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper
Fresh dill, chopped, for serving
Sour cream or plain yogurt, for serving

Instructions

Place onion, garlic, carrot, and red bell pepper into the mixing bowl. Chop 5 sec / Speed 5. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add 30 g olive oil to the mixing bowl. Sauté 5 min / 120°C / Speed 1. Scrape down sides.
Add 200 g smoked pork cubes and 20 g tomato paste to the mixing bowl. Sauté 8 min / 120°C / Speed 1 / Reverse. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add 800 g rinsed and chopped sour cabbage, 800 g water or broth, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, and 1/4 tsp black pepper to the mixing bowl. Stir gently with the spatula to combine.
Place the simmering basket on top of the mixing bowl lid instead of the measuring cup to allow steam to escape and prevent splattering. Cook 30 min / 100°C / Speed 1 / Reverse.
Pause the machine. Carefully remove the simmering basket. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with the spatula. Check the consistency and add a splash more water or broth if too thick. Replace the simmering basket on the lid.
Continue cooking for another 10 min / 100°C / Speed 1 / Reverse, or until the cabbage and pork are tender.
To finish, cook for 2 min / 90°C / Speed 1 / Reverse to settle the soup and prevent sticking.
Remove bay leaves before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped dill and a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired.

View this recipe on Chef Amai — convert any recipe to Thermomix format at chefamai.com.