Sweet & Sour Cabbage Soup

• ¼ cup butter
• 4 carrots, scraped and sliced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 quarts beef stock
• Salt and pepper
• 1 2-pound head green cabbage, chopped
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup red wine vinegar

Melt the butter in a large kettle. Saute the carrots, celery, and onion until tender. Add the stock and season to taste. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the cabbage; simmer 15 minutes more or until cabbage is tender. Add the sugar and vinegar; simmer 10 minutes more. Adjust seasonings. Serve hot, with crusty loaf of dark bread. Serves 8.