Polish cabbage roll soup

Halve the cabbage, cut out the core with two cuts at about 45 degrees, slice into 1 to 1.5 inch strips, then across into bite-sized pieces.

Melt a stick of butter over medium-high heat in a soup pot; add the diced onion and salt and cook, stirring, 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add a pound of ground beef and cook about 5 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles with a spatula.

Season with black pepper, a few shakes of cayenne and a bay leaf (and garlic, at this point).

Turn the heat to high, add a couple of cups of beef broth and bring to a rolling boil; do not skim the fat, which should emulsify into the soup.

Add the cabbage, push it down, lower to medium and cook 10 to 15 minutes before any tomato goes in, since acid can toughen the cabbage.

Add the crushed tomatoes, puree or plain tomato sauce and a cup and a half of water; return to a simmer and cook about 15 minutes so the meat softens and the cabbage melts.

Add about half the chopped parsley and the rice; cook about 20 minutes until the rice is done to taste, adding water or broth a little at a time if too thick.

Taste and adjust salt, stir in the rest of the parsley and turn off the heat; ladle into bowls and garnish with a pinch of parsley.

If the garlic was forgotten, sizzle minced garlic in a little butter 30 to 60 seconds, add a little beef broth, simmer a couple of minutes and stir into the soup.