Cabbage Ciorba

This is a recipe for ciorba that I developed from watching others, trial and error, and deciding how I'd rather it taste. There are many variations, but I think this one is the best. ~Niki

You will need:

One great big pot with a lid that closes securely

1 good sized beef bone preferably from the rib area with a bit of marrow and meat clinging to it, or one turkey neckbone
1/3 cup fat rendered from some kind of meat
Maybe some additional pieces of meat or meatballs if you like. A turkey leg or two works well.
1 large head of coarsely chopped cabbage
8 peeled and diced Italian tomatoes or 1 can of peeled tomatoes crushed with the hand
1 large onion or 2 smaller ones
2 sweet green bell peppers
8 large potatoes, peeled
4 peeled large carrots
3 or 4 cups or good sized handfulls of green beans
The juice of one lemon
1 stick of celery with the leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove of chopped garlic or a teaspoon or roasted garlic paste
1 teaspoon of fresh dill pulled off the stalk and torn a little
2 good dashes of black pepper
1 tablespoon of salt or more to taste
1 egg or 1 and 1/2 teaspoon potato or corn starch
Water

Instructions:

1. Render the fat in the bottom of the pot, or heat it if you've already done this. If you used a poultry skin, remove this once the fat is rendered and save the crispies to have with American biscuits or pancakes later. If you used beef or pork, just leave the clumps in.

2. Fry the bone and large meat parts until the parts that can be are lightly browned, then add the green peppers and onions, and cook them until they are just softenned at the edges.

3. Add the herbs and stir things around until warmed, and then add the rest of the vegetables except the potatoes.

3. Add the salt and pepper and distribute them around. What you should have at this point will resemble something like a warm salad with some mildly overbrowned bits here and there. Don't panic :)

4. Add the potatoes and then enough water to fill the pot or cover the vegetables plus 15 centimetres or so. This should be perhaps 7 to 9 litres of water. Then add the lemon juice.

5. Cook on high heat until it comes to a good boil. Taste it to see if there is enough salt, and add 1 teaspoon at a time until there is. (To add a little flavor, some people use a chicken flavoured soup mix instead of salt at this point.)

6. Simmer on medium/low heat for at least 2 hours.

7. Get a bowl, and beat the egg in it, or put the cornstarch or potato starch with a dash or two of salt mixed in, into the bowl. Whisk in 1 cup of the hot soup. Be sure to whisk very firmly and fast.

8. When this is combined, whisk in another cup of the hot soup, and then pour the mixture back into the soup.

9. Let it cook for another half hour or until you are ready to serve it.