Pork fest cabbage soup

Ingredients:

1kg sauerkraut, 1 large onion, 500g pork belly, 500g pork backbone with meat, 2-3 bay leaves, 1 tsp peppercorns, 4 tbsp of oil, approx. 2 heaped tbsp flour, 1 tsp quality ground red paprika, 3 bottles (1.5 litre) Kecskeméti tomato juice, salt

1. If you find the sauerkraut too sour, soak it slightly and you may also want to shorten it with a few cuts before it goes into the pot. Add as much water as necessary to cover it.

2. Peel the onions, cut thin slices and separate into rings, then add to the sauerkraut. Cut the belly into 2.5-3 cm dices, chop the backbone between the bones and add both to the cabbage. Flavour with bay leaves and pepper, bring to a boil over high heat, then cover it leaving a small opening. Let it simmer over low heat for 1.5 hrs until tender, adding water as necessary.

3. Prepare a roux while the soup is simmering; heat some oil and let the flour get a light brown colour in it. Remove it from the heat and add the red paprika, then let it cool. Add a little water and stir it until smooth, then use it to thicken the juice of the sauerkraut. Let the cabbage and meat boil for a few minutes, then add the tomato juice to make a hearty soup. Cook for a few more minutes and then add salt and spices to taste.

Note:

This dish is a speciality from the region of Szentgyörgyvár, made mainly at pig-slaughtering. On such pork fests the pot would include other pork offcuts, and often even the pricier tenderloin, which can also go into such a delicious main dish, as the next one.