Roast the capsicums. Preheat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C fan-forced. Place the capsicum halves cut-side down on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 20–25 minutes, until softened and blistered. Cool slightly, peel away the skins and cut into short, thin strips. Reserve any roasting juices.
Brown the speck and bacon bone. Select the sauté function on your slow cooker or multicooker. Cook the speck until golden and its fat begins to render. Add the bacon bone and briefly brown its meaty edges, then remove the bone and set aside.
Sauté the onion. Add 20 g butter to the speck and stir until melted. Add the onion and cook for 5–6 minutes, until softened and lightly caramelised. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Brown the beef. Add the beef mince and season with cracked black pepper. Cook, breaking up the mince, until browned.
Build the flavour. Stir in the tomato paste, sweet paprika, smoked paprika and oregano. Cook for 1–2 minutes.
Deglaze with wine. Add a generous splash of sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Allow the wine to bubble briefly, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
Assemble the soup. Return the bacon bone to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes, cabbage, beef stock, bay leaves and any reserved capsicum roasting juices. Stir gently to combine.
Slow cook. Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours. Add the roasted capsicum strips during the final 45–60 minutes.
Remove the bone. Take out the bacon bone and bay leaves. Pull any meat from the bone, roughly chop and return it to the soup.
Finish the soup. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and the remaining 10 g butter. Taste and adjust with salt and cracked black pepper, remembering that the bacon bone and speck already contribute saltiness.
Serve with chopped fresh parsley and a glass of white wine, since you opened the bottle.
Leave a Reply