Leftover Corned Beef Soup with Sauerkraut and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 4 cups homemade chicken stock
• 2 cups homemade beef stock
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2-3 large bay leaves
• 4 cups sauerkraut, drained but not rinsed
• 8 oz. leftover cooked corned beef, sliced 1/4 inch thick and then shredded apart into pieces
• 1 T sweetener of your choice
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• Grated Swiss cheese for serving

Directions

1. Chop one large onion so you have 1 1/2 cups chopped onion. Warm the olive oil in a heavy soup pot, then add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it is just beginning to brown in spots. Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
2. Pour in the homemade chicken stock, homemade beef stock, diced tomatoes with their juice, Worcestershire sauce, chopped parsley, and bay leaves. Lower the heat and simmer the soup gently for 30 minutes.
3. While the soup is bubbling away, set a colander in the sink and drain the sauerkraut. Slice the corned beef 1/4 inch thick, then pull it apart with your fingers into small shreds.
4. Once the sauerkraut has drained, press out the extra liquid with your hands. Transfer it to a cutting board and roughly chop it with a large chef’s knife.
5. After 30 minutes, stir the sauerkraut, corned beef, and brown sugar, or Splenda, into the pot. Check the thickness as you stir, and if the soup needs loosening, add about 1 cup more water.
6. Simmer the soup for 15 minutes more.
7. After 15 minutes, mix in 1 T balsamic vinegar, then add fresh ground black pepper to taste. Since the sauerkraut brings plenty of salt, taste before deciding whether it needs anything else.
8. Serve the soup hot, with grated Swiss cheese over the top and an extra drizzle of balsamic vinegar if you like.