Russian Cabbage Soup (Shchi)

Ingredients:

8 dried mushrooms

3 tbl butter

4 cup shredded cabbage

2 cup sauerkraut - (to 3 cups) cold pack, not canned, if possible

2 tbl tomato paste

12 cup beef or vegetable stock

3 tbl butter

1 carrot peeled, and cut into a julienne

1 1/2 cup chopped onions

1 celery stalk diced

1 lrg turnip peeled, diced

1 can tomatoes - (16 oz) drained, seeded and chopped

Salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

1 lrg garlic clove minced or pressed

Garnish:

Chopped fresh dill mixed into

Sour cream

Cooking Instructions:

Begin by soaking the mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for an hour. Rinse the sauerkraut well with cold water and squeeze dry. In a large Dutch oven, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat, then toss in the cabbage and sauerkraut and saute for 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste and 1 cup or so of stock, cover, and simmer of low heat for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze the mushrooms dry and slice finely. Melt the other 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and saute the carrot, onions, celery, turnips, and mushrooms until soft and slightly brown - about 15 minutes. Seed and chop the tomatoes, reserving them. When the sauerkraut and cabbage are nicely stewed, stir in the sauteed vegetables, the tomatoes, and the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low heat - cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook 5 more minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes - but ideally a day or so in the refrigerator to cure. When ready to serve, reheat slowly. Ladle into bowls and garnish with spoonsful of dilled sour cream. Serve hot as a meal to 6 to 8 people, with lots of pumpernickel or rye bread and butter on hand.

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