KAPUSTA- Cabbage Soup

Kapusta is a well known Eastern European recipe featuring Pork, cabbage, & sour kraut. People from Russian, Poland, Lithuanian, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania and more have thier own takes on this dish. 

 You can enjoy this as a main dish, soup, or a side dish. It is very versatile and an awesome round #2 Recipe, I often make this utilizing left-overs from New Year's Day. 

Sometimes I have seen it served w/ kielbasa, 

baked with kluski noodles then topped with cottage cheese sprinkled with Smoked Paprika  

and other times mixed cream of mushroom soup 

and served like a casserole.

Pic Credit

I am using this Polish inspired dish to use up the leftovers from New Year's Day Supper in the soup form...

Kapusta- 

Cabbage Soup

1 lg. (28 oz.) sauerkraut, drained and rinsed- save some of the juice- (Or left overs from New Year's Day)
1 med. cabbage, chopped or shredded
1 & 1/2 C Mushrooms, Sliced

Chicken Stock to cover both (I use left over Chicken Gravy and thin with more chicken Stock)
2 c. cooked pork chops or leftover pork roast
Kosher Salt & Course Ground Pepper

1/2 t dried Thyme 

Pinch of Brown Sugar, optional

2-4 T Butter or Bacon Drippings
15 oz  corn nibblets or whatever vegetable you have left over.

1. Add Bacon Drippings to dutch oven and Saute Cabbage until cooked through. 
2. Push Cabbage to outside of pan- add Mushrooms and Carrots, sauteing until mushrooms are cooked & carrots are soft.
3. Combine Cabbage with the pork roast/chops & Sour Kraut. 
4. Add enough Chicken Gravy/Stock to cover. 
5. Sprinkle in kosher salt and Fresh Cracked pepper, to taste. 
6. Cook over low heat, simmering for about 2 hours, adding Chicken Stock as needed and taste to adjust seasoning.
7. If desired,  add some of the reserved kraut juice if more tart is needed. 
8. Add the corn and continue cooking until heated through
9. Serve hot.