Recipe: Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup

Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup
rec.food.cooking/David Baron/1998
Yield: 4 servings

This is a great way to use up that leftover St. Patrick's Day dinner or to serve as a hearty first course on that day of green. Serve with a tossed green salad and a bottle of Guinness.

2 large leeks, split, well washed and chopped
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp. Unsalted butter
2 large Idaho baking potatoes, peeled and sliced
8 cups chicken and beef broth
2 large new white potatoes, peeled and diced
6 oz. Cooked corned beef, diced
Small head green cabbage, chopped
1 to 2 tsp. (or to taste) prepared horseradish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In large pot, cook leeks and onions in 2 tablespoons of the butter until soft and translucent. Add sliced Idaho potatoes and continue cooking until potatoes are partially cooked. Add broth and cook until potatoes are very soft.

While soup base is cooking, melt remaining tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet. Add diced new potatoes and toss to coat well. Add pinch of salt and couple tablespoons water and cook potatoes until just barely tender. Add diced corned beef and cabbage and little more water and continue cooking until these ingredients are tender and heated through.

Strain solids from soup base and reserve liquid. Puree leeks, onion, and baking potatoes in food processor fitted with steel blade, adding some liquid through feed tube. Return rest of puree to soup pot with remaining liquid.

Stir in cooked diced corned beef, new potatoes, and cabbage. Taste for seasoning and add horseradish, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.