Cabbage Soup for Immunity

Let's continue with our series of "How To Get Healthy or Stay That Way In The First Place".

*** Click here for the world's best Cabbage Soup. ***

Our friends at Value Recipes report that "Cabbage stimulates the immune system and the production of antibodies, and is an excellent remedy for fighting bacterial and viral infection, such as colds and flu." Did I not tell you that cabbage was the best?

Although I stand by my claim that my mother's soup is the best, I offer two alternative recipes that illustrate the wide lattitude you have when thinking of cabbage soup to suit your mood. You know that the Soup Lady tires to guide you through life whenever she can, so I will issue a friendly word of warning: no raisins - no brown sugar - no treacly sweetness when dealing with King Cabbage. Whoever thought up that combination deserves to be covered in brown sugar and then stuffed with raisins.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cabbage Cooler from ValueRecipes.com Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 medium onions, peeled and sliced 3 medium carrot, washed and sliced 2 sticks of celery, washed and sliced 1 medium leek, washed and sliced thinly 4 1/2 cups chicken stock salt and freshly ground pepper 1 medium cabbage, shredded 1 cup natural yogurt fresh parsely, to garnish

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the vegetables, except the cabbage, and stir over a low heat for 5-10 minutes.
2. Add the stock and seasoning, cover, and bring to the boil
then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Cook the cabbage in a little water for 5 minutes until slightly softened.
3. Add to the soup with half the yogurt and heat gently. Serve topped with the remainder of the yogurt and garnish with parsley.

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This first soup soup manages to be warm & filling and light & refreshing at the same time. Now we go to the other end of the spectrum and consult the disgusting and almost useless 1997 version of the Joy Of Cooking, who this time surprises us all by getting something right for a change.
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Cabbage Soup with Roquefort Cheese
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add 2 small leeks, chopped (white part only), 2 medium onions and 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic and cook until tender but not browned. Stir in 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of water, 2 large carrots (sliced), 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds. Bring to a boil and then add 2 small potatoes (peeled and diced). Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add 4 cups of shredded green cabbage and continue simmering for another 15 minutes until the cabbage is wilted, adding enough water to cover. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley. Ladle into warmed bowls and sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon of crumbled Roquefort cheese.
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The Soup Lady squirms uncomfortably when the Joy of Cooking produces something good, but I am a big person and I will give credit where credit is due. This one time, they produced something good but don't get your expectations raised by this single incident. It's still a lousy resource.