Czech Food II

 Ingredients: SMOKED BOILED HAM IN CABBAGE SOUP or BORS 1/2 kg. smoked ham, boneless A head of cabbage an onion 3-4 cloves of garlic Pepper and allspice Thyme (bay leaf, but I prefer without) Root vegetables for soup (carrot, parsley, celery)

We start by preparing the ham, which we will carefully tie so that it retains its round shape during boiling. It will turn into a delicious dish, full of flavors. We place the ham in a large pot, where we add all the necessary ingredients to give it a special flavor: a quartered onion, a few crushed garlic cloves, a handful of peppercorns, a few allspice seeds, some sprigs of fresh thyme, and the vegetables we prefer, such as carrots, celery, and bell pepper.

To give it a special taste, we pour in sauerkraut juice or borscht up to halfway of the ham. It is important that all the flavors combine perfectly, so we cover the pot and let it simmer on low heat until the ham becomes tender, which can be checked with a fork. After about half of the boiling time, if you are not using a pressure cooker, don’t forget to turn the ham to the other side for even cooking.

If it is winter and you have sauerkraut available, I recommend wrapping the ham in a few leaves of cabbage to make it even more tender. This is an effective technique, considering that the leaves of sauerkraut add a touch of acidity and flavor. Personally, I like to keep sauerkraut leaves in the freezer for use in various dishes, including roasts.

Once the ham is boiled and ready, we take it out of the pot and, using a spatula, fish out the whole onion and vegetables from the remaining broth. These can be mashed, but I prefer to keep them whole to add consistency to the dish, considering I use homemade vegetable stock, so I don’t throw away the vegetables. Next, we boil the cabbage leaves, either sour or sweet, depending on preferences.

While the cabbage boils, we take care of the sauce. We prepare a thickening from a mixture of flour with water or borscht and sweet paprika, mixing well to avoid lumps. After the cabbage is boiled, we add the thickening and let it cook just enough for the flour to do its job, stirring very gently so as not to ruin the shape of the cabbage leaves.

Finally, we retrieve the ham, slice it with a sharp knife, and serve it alongside the delicious cabbage dish. This dish is perfect for a family meal, full of flavors and tradition, and will surely delight everyone who tastes it. Enjoy your meal!

 Tags:  garlic soup christmas and new year's recipes gluten-free recipes lactose-free recipes pasta recipes