What are the “empty cabbage soup of the furious Vissarion” and how to prepare them?

Criticism Belinsky we remember, as a rule, only and exclusively in the context of literature textbooks, and even with an indispensable appendage to his name: “Furious Vissarion.”

There was every reason for this – during a literary discussion he, as he wrote Herzen“he rushed at the enemy like a leopard, tore him to pieces, made him funny, made him pitiful, and along the way, with extraordinary strength, with extraordinary poetry, he developed his thought…” The same applies to his attitude towards food. Here you can simply quote his memories of studying at Moscow University: “The food in the canteen is so vile, so vile that it is impossible to eat. I wonder how we survived cholera, eating dirty carrion, vultures and soup with worms.” The critic’s health had been poor since childhood, and such nutrition had completely undermined it. Whereas at his home, in the town of Chembar, Penza province, the kitchen was not rich, but balanced – his mother Maria Ivanovna wrote to her son: “For lunch there were empty shti, fried potatoes with mushrooms, and an uzvar of sour pears picked from the garden.”

So, about empty cabbage soup.

Recipe

Ingredients: water (2.5 l), young cabbage (½ head), potatoes (5 pcs.), medium carrots (1 pc.), onion (1 pc.), parsley root (1 pc.), celery stalk (1 pcs.), green onions, dill, parsley (all in a bunch), vegetable oil for frying, salt, pepper to taste.

Preparation. Cut the carrots and onions into small cubes and sauté in oil until the onions are transparent. Add shredded cabbage, celery and chopped herbs. Simmer covered over low heat for 30 minutes. Peel the potatoes and parsley root, add water and cook for 10 minutes. Add cabbage. Simmer until the potatoes are ready. Let it brew for 20 minutes. Serve with sour cream.