Although it is still howling hot outside I had to add this soup recipe. Ever since I was young, I remember my mom making this soup in the Fall. She made a “Zaprashka” (za-pruass-ka)  Eastern European sauce. In New Orleans it is called a Roux.

• 1 1/2 pounds Pork Neck Bones or Short Ribs
• 1 1/2 pounds Stewing Beef or Bison, cubed
• 2 pounds Green Cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 clove of fresh Garlic, pressed
• 1 can (16 ozs) Sauerkraut
• 1 tablespoon Sea Salt
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds

Gravy (Zaprashka):

• 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour or Wondra Flour
• 2 tablespoons or vegetable oil or Crisco

Boil neck bones/short ribs with 3 quarts of water  in a large soup pot for 1 minute. Discard the water and put bones back into the soup pot with stew beef cubes. Add another 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that forms on top of water.  Add salt and onions. Reduce heat and slowly simmer for 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender.

While the meat mix is simmering, sprinkle salt over the shredded cabbage and let stand. When the meat soup is tender, rinse salt from the cabbage and add cabbage to meat soup mix. Add the can of sauerkraut and carawy seeds. Cook til the shredded cabbage is tender. Remove all bones from the soup.

Heat the flour in oil in a cast iron skillet. It needs to brown but not burn. Stir the flour in the oil until browned. Add a cup of the soup liquid to the zaprashka and mix til thick. Add this mixture to the soup pot. Serve in bowls with crusty black Russian bread or rye bread.