Cabbage & Ham Soup with Cheese Dumplings

60ml vegetable oil (1/4 cup)

350g smoked ham, cut into cubes (11 ounces)

2 tsp soft light brown sugar

2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 leeks, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 TBS plain flour

1 litre ham stock (6 cups)

480ml chicken stock (2 cups)

black pepper to taste, coarsely ground

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 savoy cabbage, finely shredded

1 TBS white wine vinegar

30g cold butter, cut into small bits (1 ounce)

280g self raising flour (2 cups)

60g finely grated cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

2 tsp finely chopped thyme

Heat 1 TBS of the oil in a large saucepan.  Add the ham and sugar.
 Saute over high heat, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes, or
until just golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper
towels.  Add the remaining oil along with the leek, garlic and onion.
Reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
to make sure they don’t catch, without browning. Stir in the flour and
cook for one minute.  Remove from the heat and add the ham stock
gradually.  Return to the heat and bring to the boil,  stirring, then
reduce and cover.  Cook for about half an hour.  Add the potato to the
pan and simmer for about 10  minutes.  Add the chicken stock, ham,
cabbage and vinegar.  Season with black pepper. Cook for a further 10
minutes while you make the dumplings.

Sift the
flour into a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips
until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.  Stir in the cheese and
thyme. Stir in the water to bind the mixture together.  Drop by heaped
TBS into the hot soup.  Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the
dumplings are cooked through, plump and look dry on top.