a pinch of salt
a pinch of salt
a_pinch_of_salt_

Recipe #17

Stuffed Savoy Cabbage Balls

A comforting meal for cold days.

INGREDIENTS

1 Savoy Cabbage, 8 leaves (you can use the rest for cabbage chips)
2–3 Bay leaves
2 onions, medium, or 4–5 shalotts, finely chopped
500 g of mushrooms (porcini, chanterelles, champignons)
2 hands full of roasted walnuts (or chestnuts), chopped
1 hand full of roasted sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots
4 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup black lentils (100 g)
1 cup wild rice (200 g), preferably long grain
1/2 cup of pearl barley (100 g, but this is optional)
1 tsp Thyme, dried
1 tsp Vegetable bouillon
1/2 cup Tomato sauce or 4 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped and cooked
1 tsp Paprika, sweet smoked
1 1/2 cups Water (360 ml)and more as needed
1 cup finely chopped zucchini or celery
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
a pinch (or more) of sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
1/2 tablespoon butter and/or oil, I usually use both combined
mushroom broth from dried shiitake mushrooms or from a hand full of fresh mushrooms
water
freshly ground black pepper
optional: red wine, to deglaze
1 tablespoon all–purpose flour for the roux
1 tablespoon butter

PREPARATION

1. First cook the rice, lentils and barley. In the meantime you can roast the nuts and chop the vegetables into small cubes.

2. Now heat a large skillet. Add the onions and carrots and fry until the onions soften, for about 4 minutes. Now add some garlic and thyme. Then add the barley, cooked lentils, rice, bay leaves, and spice. Cook for two more minutes. Then add the tomato sauce, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside when ready.

3. Now the cabbage. Take the hard outer leaves of the cabbage and save them for later use or to make chips. Cut around the core and carefully remove about 8 of the largest leaves. If the stem ends are too thick, you can use a vegetable peeler to take away some of the thickness. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the leaves. Blanch for 3–5 minutes. Remove each leaf carefully and let it cool in a colander.

4. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Oil a baking dish and carefully spread the filled cabbage balls. Bake for 10–15 minutes.

5. In the meantime, for the roux, melting the butter, then add flour and cook for a couple of minutes until the raw flour taste fades. Deglaze with red wine, stir for another minute, then set aside.

6. When the cabbage balls are ready, them them out of the oven, put 2–3 tablespoons of the mushroom sauce on a plate and carefully plate the cabbage balls on top.

Enjoy!

a_pinch_of_salt_

Recipe #17

Stuffed Savoy Cabbage Balls

A comforting meal for cold days.

INGREDIENTS

1 Savoy Cabbage, 8 leaves (you can use the rest for cabbage chips)
2–3 Bay leaves
2 onions, medium, or 4–5 shalotts, finely chopped
500 g of mushrooms (porcini, chanterelles, champignons)
2 hands full of roasted walnuts (or chestnuts), chopped
1 hand full of roasted sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots
4 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup black lentils (100 g)
1 cup wild rice (200 g), preferably long grain
1/2 cup of pearl barley (100 g, but this is optional)
1 tsp Thyme, dried
1 tsp Vegetable bouillon
1/2 cup Tomato sauce or 4 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped and cooked
1 tsp Paprika, sweet smoked
1 1/2 cups Water (360 ml)and more as needed
1 cup finely chopped zucchini or celery
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
a pinch (or more) of sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
1/2 tablespoon butter and/or oil, I usually use both combined
mushroom broth from dried shiitake mushrooms or from a hand full of fresh mushrooms
water
freshly ground black pepper
optional: red wine, to deglaze
1 tablespoon all–purpose flour for the roux
1 tablespoon butter

PREPARATION

1. First cook the rice, lentils and barley. In the meantime you can roast the nuts and chop the vegetables into small cubes.

2. Now heat a large skillet. Add the onions and carrots and fry until the onions soften, for about 4 minutes. Now add some garlic and thyme. Then add the barley, cooked lentils, rice, bay leaves, and spice. Cook for two more minutes. Then add the tomato sauce, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside when ready.

3. Now the cabbage. Take the hard outer leaves of the cabbage and save them for later use or to make chips. Cut around the core and carefully remove about 8 of the largest leaves. If the stem ends are too thick, you can use a vegetable peeler to take away some of the thickness. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the leaves. Blanch for 3–5 minutes. Remove each leaf carefully and let it cool in a colander.

4. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Oil a baking dish and carefully spread the filled cabbage balls. Bake for 10–15 minutes.

5. In the meantime, for the roux, melting the butter, then add flour and cook for a couple of minutes until the raw flour taste fades. Deglaze with red wine, stir for another minute, then set aside.

6. When the cabbage balls are ready, them them out of the oven, put 2–3 tablespoons of the mushroom sauce on a plate and carefully plate the cabbage balls on top.

Enjoy!

“Fermentation is definitely a commitment. By definition it requires seeing something through. It's being responsible for life and watching it grow. It's a slow and patient process.”

— David Zilber