Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup With Raisins

This soup is simple and cheap to make, and a favorite comfort food in my family. My mother got the recipe from a former employer and friend, and passed it along to me. It is not a highly flavored soup, so feel free to add extra seasoning if you are eating it as a main dish. The cracked black pepper and fresh lemon juice are important to the flavor of the dish. I usually add extra raisins because I like them so well.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  lb lean ground beef
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1⁄2 cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 4  cups water
• 2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 1⁄4 cup golden raisin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsly ground

Directions

1. Brown the beef in in large dutch oven or stock pot over medium high heat.
2. After a few minutes, add the onion, and continue cooking until the onions are transparent, and most of the pink is gone from the meat, about 10 minutes total.
3. Drain any excess grease from the meat and onions, and return to the pan.
4. Add the cabbage and 1/4 cup of the water, cover, and cook over medium heat until the cabbage is limp and getting tender, but still holds its shape, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
5. Add the remaining ingredients, and simmer until the vegetables in the soup are as tender as you would like, about 30 minutes.
6. Serve with additional lemon juice and fresh ground pepper, to taste.
7. Like many soups, this is much better the second day after the flavors have a chance to blend.