2 onions, diced
2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 T olive oil
2 T sweet Hungarian Paprika
1 T hot Hungarian Paprika
1/2 tsp. crushed caraway seed (optional)
4 cups homemade beef stock (or 3 cans, 14 oz. each)
3 cups roasted tomatoes or 2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
4 cups finely diced cabbage
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef (ground chuck is best)
1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, diced into 1 inch pieces
Heat large heavy frying pan, add oil, and saute onions about 5 minutes, until barely starting to color. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes more, then add paprika (and caraway if using) and saute 1 minute more.
Put onion/spice mixture into large soup pot. Deglaze pan with 1 cup of beef stock, then add that and rest of beef stock to soup pot. Add roasted tomatoes or canned tomatoes, cabbage and 2 cups water to soup pot and start to simmer.
Brown ground beef in frying pan until quite brown, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. When browned add to soup pot. Let simmer on very low heat one hour. (Taste for seasoning and add more paprika if desired.
After one hour, add diced red peppers and simmer about one hour more. Serve hot, garnished with sour cream. This freezes very well.