Lentil soup with cabbage

Instructions

• 1
  Soak the lentils in cold water for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. Then drain the water and rinse the lentils with cold water. Put them in a pot, add broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat to one-third, and cook the lentils until semi-soft.
• 2
  Cut the potatoes into 1 cm cubes. Peel and press the garlic. Squeeze the cabbage and cut it into shorter pieces so they fit on a spoon. Add to the lentils along with the potatoes and garlic. Cook over low heat until tender.
• 3
  Cut the ham into 0.5 cm cubes. In a pan over high heat, melt the butter, add the ham, and sauté until golden. Once the potatoes in the soup are soft, add the sautéed ham and sour cream. Remove from heat, stir, and season with salt to taste.
• 4
  Use chicken broth and classic brown lentils. Cook the lentils in broth to give the soup a fuller flavor. Prague ham or bone-in ham is best suited for this soup. You can boil the ham skin in the broth where you cook the lentils. The soup will gain a more intense flavor. Remove the skin after the lentils are cooked.