Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup

When winter nights get cold and bleak, warm yourself over a steaming bowl of this rich and vibrant soup.

3 pounds:beef soup bones
canola:oil
1 pound:of beef chuck or stew, minced very fine
2 :onions, chopped
3 carrots:grated
3 cloves:garlic, chopped finely
3 ribs:celery, chopped
2 large:red beets, peeled and grated
1 (32 ounce) can :of whole tomatoes with their juices; crush the tomatoes with your hands
2 tablespoons:tomato paste
1/3 cup:of vinegar (I prefer rice vinegar as it is less acidic that cider or white vinegar)
1/2 cup:sugar
8 cups:chicken stock (homemade, please!)
1 head:green cabbage, sliced very thinly
salt and:pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the beef bones, uncovered, in the preheated oven in a casserole. Brown the bones until they are very dark and caramelized (about 20-30 minutes).
Place a large stock pot over medium high heat. Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with canola oil. Brown the meat until it is very dark and caramelized on all sizes.
Add the onions and continue cooking until the onions are lightly browned and are quite limp (about 10 minutes).
Add the remaining ingredients including the browned bones. Allow the soup to cook for 1 1/2 hours. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Contributed By:LAURA FRANKEL

While cabbage is the name of the soup, beets play a starring role for the gorgeous scarlet color and for the earthy deep flavor they lend.