Cabbage Soup with Ham and Vegetables

Total time: 60 minutes
   Many vegetable soups use regular, white cabbage.  I decided to make one featuring Savoy or green cabbage.  With a slice of ham from the deli counter, this goes together quickly for a warming, winter meal.  Stirring in a bit of cornstarch at the end gives the broth a more luscious 'mouth feel'.  This is enough for 4 servings.  

 Ingredients:

• 3 medium potatoes
• 4 medium carrots
• 3 ribs celery
• 1 large onion
• 2/3 Savoy cabbage, 4  - 5 cups
• 10oz (300gr) baked or pink ham
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp Herbes de Provence
• 6 - 8 cups chicken stock  or water plus ham base
• 2 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolve in 1/4 cup water

 Instructions:

• Roughly chop onion. 
• Peel carrots; then slice by cutting in half the long way (in 2 or more sections) then into half or quarter circles. 
• Peel and slice potatoes to a similar size. 
• Slice celery, cutting the wide end in half lengthwise. 
• Cut ham into small pieces. 
• Remove dark green outer leaves from cabbage. Cut off a thick slice, avoiding the core. Lay flat, cut into 3 or 4 wedges, then thickly slice the wedges. 
• Heat olive oil in a medium soup pot. Add onion and sauté until it starts to get tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add celery and sauté 5 minutes longer.
• Add ham and sauté briefly.
• Add carrots, potatoes, cabbage, herbs and stock. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, 30 - 40 minutes.
• To finish:
• Remove bay leaves.
• Dissolve cornstarch in water.
• Uncover soup and increase heat.  When simmering hard, add cornstarch, stirring until it clears. Serve.