Today, I'm sharing an unrestrained cabbage soup. Lest you think it's austere or any kind of a late-winter penance, know that it features an entire head of cabbage stewed in an eye-popping amount of olive oil and the tiniest bit of vinegar for more than an hour. The cabbage emerges from its olive oil bath transformed with a deep golden hue, a hint of sweetness, and the richest, most soul-soothing flavor.
The recipe follows two of Marcella Hazan's iconic recipes closely. First, her Venetian-style smothered cabbage as described above, and then the leftovers for this dish, turned into a soup. But friends, when a soup is this meltingly delicious, we just make it straightaway and forget about leftovers.
This soup takes time, but it's almost entirely unattended. The cabbage cooks over low heat in a covered skillet for an hour and a half. You may want to nudge the cabbage a bit as it cooks, but any "checking" will turn into an excuse to steal bites from the pan. Once deeply golden and completely tender, the cabbage is stirred into hot broth with a Parmesan rind if you have one. Next, stir in farro, or, as Marcella Hazan recommends, Arborio rice. Simmer just until grains are al dente. Add grated Parmesan, more pepper, and a few flecks of salt, and you have a gorgeous Wednesday night dinner.
Cabbage and Farro Soup with Parmesan
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