Stuffed Cribbage, er, I Mean Cabbage
Just got done with a fine evening of beers with some good friends. Leaving, I realized I hadn't posted in a while and that I mentioned a stuffed cabbage recipe that warrants some note. I found it in a French cookbook I have and have been stumbling across the picture thinking, "How interesting, I have to try that." Not until last night did I enjoy it with a very special friend—so much so, that I thought I'd share it with you all.
Take note, this should be drank with, the entire time while cooking (approx. 2 hours), very cheap red wine...
Braised Stuffed Cabbage
Serves 6-8
2 medium green cabbages
1 lb pork sausage meat (ground pork, seasoned with a little love)
4 tomatoes, peeled, chopped
7 slices of bacon, chopped into bits
2 handfuls of slivered almonds, pan-toasted (olive oil in a pan with the almonds over heat does this. Careful not to burn them.)
2 eggs
4 handfuls of breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, chopped
X # of thyme sprigs, chopped (I don't know how much you like thyme)
X # of sage leaves, chopped (I also don't know how much you like sage)
3/4 large yellow onion, diced
2 shallots, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 medium pototos, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
Handful of parsley, chopped fine
Half a lemon
3 tbsp butter
1.5 glasses white wine (dry vermouth)
2 cups chicken stock
a small towel or some cheese cloth and some string
salt and pepper
Here we go. Have a sip of your cheap wine, I hope you bought a bottle for yourself 'cuz this takes a while...
Boil some water, score the tomatoes across the tops, and drop them in for about 30 seconds. Take them out, let them cool until you can hold them and peel them. Put the tomatoes on a cutting board and cut them into quarters. Take the quarters and squeeze out the seeds and juice. All you really want is the meat of the tomatoes for this. What this does is make them less bitter later when you're cooking them. So clean them out but don't be a perfectionist. If you feel the need to get rid of every seed, have some more wine or call your therapist. It's not that important.
Next, mix the pork, bacon, tomato, breadcrumbs, almonds, eggs, sage, thyme, garlic and onion to make what will be the stuffing. Add salt and pepper but don't taste (there's raw pork in there stupid.) Set aside. Drink wine.
Now we have to do the cabbage. This is a PAIN but it's worth it. Take the cabbages and wash them thoroughly. Peel each leaf off the cabbage, watching not to tear the leaves, as deep as you can go. That's right, I said peel the cabbage. This is a French recipe, so think about what Frenchman (or woman) thought to peel a cabbage. This stage seems very ridiculous when you're doing it. Don't give up.
Once you've got leaves off both the cabbages, hearts kept for later, boil some water with the juice of half a lemon. Blanche the leaves. Again. This is French so think, "More wine, this is stupid."
Lay the blanched leaves out on the towel with the heart/stem side in the middle, overlapping a little bit. Makes a sun shape. Smear evenly some of the stuffing over the sun shape leaving about 2 inches border around the outer edges. Layer another set of leaves to cover, smear more stuffing, repeat until you're out of stuffing or leaves.
Drink more wine.
Take the towel or cheesecloth and bring the edges up for tying so that the cabbage thing in the middle makes a ball. Tie it fairly tight but don't force anything.
In a large pot, one that can be covered and will fit the ball, throw in the butter and saute the the shallots, carrots, celery and potato for oh... about 4 minutes. Season. Don't burn the butter so watch the heat. Then add the wine and boil for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, boil for a few minutes.
Lower the cabbage ball in the towel onto/into the braise. This seems very weird, I know, but don't worry it's French and for some reason, won't burn. Make sure you're on a low temperature, only simmering the liquid with the vegetables and cover. Let simmer for an hour and 15 minutes. This is why you should have a bottle to yourself ready 'cuz this part takes some time. You know it's done when you can stick a knife into the center and when you pull it out the tip is hot to the touch.
It will smell incredibly good but don't uncover it unless you're scary paranoid and think the towel is burning or you messed something up. I assure you you're ok, but if you don't believe me... lay off the cocaine or call your therapist.
When the time's up, remove the ball and put it on a grate or somewhere to drain. Let it drain for about 4-5 minutes. If you're drunk, set a timer. Remove the towel and cut into wedges like a pie to serve.
Serve on a recessed plate with a couple spoonfuls of the braising liquid and vegetables on bottom, and 1 wedge per person. It's fairly rich so watch the size of the wedge. Sprinkle with some of the parsley for color with a shot of fresh pepper.
Take note, this should be drank with, the entire time while cooking (approx. 2 hours), very cheap red wine...
Braised Stuffed Cabbage
Serves 6-8
2 medium green cabbages
1 lb pork sausage meat (ground pork, seasoned with a little love)
4 tomatoes, peeled, chopped
7 slices of bacon, chopped into bits
2 handfuls of slivered almonds, pan-toasted (olive oil in a pan with the almonds over heat does this. Careful not to burn them.)
2 eggs
4 handfuls of breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, chopped
X # of thyme sprigs, chopped (I don't know how much you like thyme)
X # of sage leaves, chopped (I also don't know how much you like sage)
3/4 large yellow onion, diced
2 shallots, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 medium pototos, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
Handful of parsley, chopped fine
Half a lemon
3 tbsp butter
1.5 glasses white wine (dry vermouth)
2 cups chicken stock
a small towel or some cheese cloth and some string
salt and pepper
Here we go. Have a sip of your cheap wine, I hope you bought a bottle for yourself 'cuz this takes a while...
Boil some water, score the tomatoes across the tops, and drop them in for about 30 seconds. Take them out, let them cool until you can hold them and peel them. Put the tomatoes on a cutting board and cut them into quarters. Take the quarters and squeeze out the seeds and juice. All you really want is the meat of the tomatoes for this. What this does is make them less bitter later when you're cooking them. So clean them out but don't be a perfectionist. If you feel the need to get rid of every seed, have some more wine or call your therapist. It's not that important.
Next, mix the pork, bacon, tomato, breadcrumbs, almonds, eggs, sage, thyme, garlic and onion to make what will be the stuffing. Add salt and pepper but don't taste (there's raw pork in there stupid.) Set aside. Drink wine.
Now we have to do the cabbage. This is a PAIN but it's worth it. Take the cabbages and wash them thoroughly. Peel each leaf off the cabbage, watching not to tear the leaves, as deep as you can go. That's right, I said peel the cabbage. This is a French recipe, so think about what Frenchman (or woman) thought to peel a cabbage. This stage seems very ridiculous when you're doing it. Don't give up.
Once you've got leaves off both the cabbages, hearts kept for later, boil some water with the juice of half a lemon. Blanche the leaves. Again. This is French so think, "More wine, this is stupid."
Lay the blanched leaves out on the towel with the heart/stem side in the middle, overlapping a little bit. Makes a sun shape. Smear evenly some of the stuffing over the sun shape leaving about 2 inches border around the outer edges. Layer another set of leaves to cover, smear more stuffing, repeat until you're out of stuffing or leaves.
Drink more wine.
Take the towel or cheesecloth and bring the edges up for tying so that the cabbage thing in the middle makes a ball. Tie it fairly tight but don't force anything.
In a large pot, one that can be covered and will fit the ball, throw in the butter and saute the the shallots, carrots, celery and potato for oh... about 4 minutes. Season. Don't burn the butter so watch the heat. Then add the wine and boil for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, boil for a few minutes.
Lower the cabbage ball in the towel onto/into the braise. This seems very weird, I know, but don't worry it's French and for some reason, won't burn. Make sure you're on a low temperature, only simmering the liquid with the vegetables and cover. Let simmer for an hour and 15 minutes. This is why you should have a bottle to yourself ready 'cuz this part takes some time. You know it's done when you can stick a knife into the center and when you pull it out the tip is hot to the touch.
It will smell incredibly good but don't uncover it unless you're scary paranoid and think the towel is burning or you messed something up. I assure you you're ok, but if you don't believe me... lay off the cocaine or call your therapist.
When the time's up, remove the ball and put it on a grate or somewhere to drain. Let it drain for about 4-5 minutes. If you're drunk, set a timer. Remove the towel and cut into wedges like a pie to serve.
Serve on a recessed plate with a couple spoonfuls of the braising liquid and vegetables on bottom, and 1 wedge per person. It's fairly rich so watch the size of the wedge. Sprinkle with some of the parsley for color with a shot of fresh pepper.
posted by TheDrunkenChef at 9:14 PM
1 comments
