Rustic Irish Potato & Cabbage Soup

Traditional Irish recipes include smoky bacon (and often, cream) in a soup like this. We decided to slice up some spicy buffalo sausage and toss in a gluten-free lager instead. But if you're a bacon and cream lover, by all means- add some uncured apple-smoked bacon and organic moo-cow cream.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1-pound head of green cabbage, cored and sliced thin
4 medium gold or white potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 sausages or brats (we used spicy buffalo sausage)
4 cups light gluten-free broth
1 cup of gluten-free lager or ale- optional
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds- crush them if you like
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 pinch raw sugar

Put on a Van Morrison CD and sing along as you cook.

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add the onion; stir for five minutes or so. Add the garlic and cabbage and stir together; cook until the cabbage has wilted. Add the potatoes, carrots and sausages. Stir. Season with caraway, parsley, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Pour in the broth and gluten-free beer; stir together. Cover and bring to a high simmer; then lower the heat a bit and simmer until the vegetables are fork tender- about 45 minutes.

At this point I like to add a touch of cider vinegar and a pinch of raw sugar to liven things up. As always, taste the soup and season to keep your own palate happy.
Serve piping hot with a warm loaf of Irish Soda Bread (recipe follows).
Serves 4.