Lisa, my mom's family was czk, hungarian, german mix and they did a lot with cabbage. As far as soups, I can't help ya much other than vegetable soup always required a large cabbage influence. I still make golumpkis, beef cabbage rolls, with rice mixed into the beef. Tomatoes, drained sauerkraut, make a layer between the rolls. Then slow simmer (optional bay leaf). I also love my grandma's cabbage and noodles. Some melted butter steamed cabbage added to the melted butter...a little more butter...simmer away. Prepare some egg noodles, and then mix it all together. Then add drops of cottage cheese to the skillet and let it melt in YUM!!

This one sounds good.
And the article did mention TooJay's.

Here is a link that might be useful: like this?

My family has always enjoyed cabbage soup, but I don't have the recipe written down. This is pretty close I think but I would have to actually make it and take notes to be sure!

In a large stock pot, brown a good sized piece of beef - whatever cut of meat you like to use for a soup or stew. It doesn't have to be a good cut since you will cook it for a long time and it will get very tender. I alway add a little salt at this point, but that's personal preference.

Once lightly browned and there are some juices in the pan, add a medium cut up onion and cook that for just a few minutes. If you need to you can add a little olive oil.

Then cover the meat with water - 6-8 cups - and reduce the heat. Simmer at last an hour. When the meat starts to get tender and breaks apart when you stick it with a fork, add chopped up carrots and celery. Any other veggie you like can be added too. Continue to simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Then add cut up cabbage and tomatoes. You can use a couple cans of stewed tomatoes. If you use fresh tomatoes, be sure to add 1 or 2 cans of tomato paste as well, depending on how tomato-y you want it (I use just 1 can). Cook until the cabbage is as soft as you like, at least another 30 minutes. At this point the meat should be almost shreddable it will be so tender.

Salt and pepper to taste. (We use lots of pepper).

If you want it more stew-like, this would be the time to thicken it with a little flour. (If it gets too thick, pretend you did it on purpose, call it gravy and serve the whole thing over mashed potatoes!)

I like it without any other seasoning because I love the flavors of the veggies and the beef. But my Greek mother always added thyme and bay leaf while cooking. My German grandmother thought everything tasted better with a little fennel.

Like most soups and stews there is LOTS of room for personal preference here. How many carrots? Depends on how much you like carrots! My carrot to celery ratio is about 3:1 because I love the carrots and just like the celery for flavoring.

Hope this helps!
Kate

Oh man you're making me hungry!

Lisa, it is Jewish style food. I have contacted TooJays and asked if they are willing to share their recipe. I will let you know what they say. Linda

Thank you all so much for your input! I've been thinking about the soup constantly since we ate it. The flavor was exceptional.. I'm a soup fan anyway, but this was the BEST!

I'm cooking a nice corned beef brisket now, with cabbage, tomatoes and spices ready(G).

Treefrog, I printed that article out-thanks! Funny how it sounds like the food editor was pondering and poking at the soup at TooJays, like I was, trying to figure out where that richness came from(G).

Kate, your recipe sounds great!

I would LOVE to have the real recipe Linda, if you can get it.. I'm too much of a chicken to call TooJays-I hope they will share it with you!

Lisa

I don't have any recipes but it reminds me of my first real vegetable garden. I had planted some collard greens and had been harvesting the leaves and making "collard green soup". One day my neighbor came over and said "your cabbage looks great!" Sure enough it was making a nice head of CABBAGE. What do I know collards from cabbage? It all tasted good! It didn't help that the cabbage leaves were elongated like collards.

A friend of mine in NJ taught me to make a cabbage and dried lima bean soup, I think it was Slovak. Started with a rue (flour & oil) browned really dark, then add veggies, onions, celery, carrots & cabbage and wilt. I add chicken stock and the dried limas. Salt and pepper to taste, sometimes I add a hot pepper to the wilting veggies. Also a can of chopped tomatoes.

Normally, I don't care for lima beans, but the dried ones taste different and I loved this soup. You could use some beef or sausage in it too and maybe a little white wine and fresh herbs. I don't have an exact receipe.

I visited TwoJays again on Wednesday, and brought home 3 quarts of the cabbage soup. Mmmm. Was even better than I remembered.

My friend asked the waitress if we could possibly get the recipe. She went and asked the cook, who stated "I *could* tell you, but then I'd have to kill you!"

Bummer..

Lisa

Lisa what about calling the corporate office? I bet they would tell you.

Lisa, I have to agree with you. When it was the soup of the day, I was thinking cabbage soup, but oh my goodness, it is to die for. It is thick with cabbage and beef and the flavor . . . I would love this recipe.