Alaska News

Recipe: Brightly flavored stuffed cabbage rolls, perfect for darker days

Because I grew up in warmer climes with spring and summer lasting most of the year, I find the onset of fall -- cooler and darker days -- tinged with a bit of melancholy, and when this happens, I always head to the kitchen for a good dose of comfort food. In these moments, I find the simple, humble ingredients often work best to lift the spirits. A bowl of creamy macaroni and cheese with just a hint of mustard, a bean and pasta soup with whatever vegetables I have on hand, a piece of good bread toasted and slathered with salted butter, garnished with a thick slice of good country ham.

Lately, as I've discovered the lovely and abundant winter vegetables in Alaska, I've also noticed a newfound and unusual admiration for cabbages, potatoes, pumpkins, and other winter staples. I've even found myself cheering them on as they compete in weigh-offs at the state fair. This time of year, I'm particularly partial to the humble cabbage in all its glory. Aside from the fact that cabbage is high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and fiber, it's also extremely versatile in the kitchen and proves how a stealth vegetable can really steal the show when featured properly in classic winter dishes, including salads, soups, stews, and braises.

My New Orleans grandfather, who was of German heritage and just as much at ease making potato pancakes with applesauce and bratwurst as he was cooking up pots of jambalaya and seafood gumbo, often made an autumn favorite of stuffed cabbage, rolled and smothered down in a red gravy redolent with garlic and herbs and served with crusty French bread.

Of course, back in the 1970s and 80s, he didn't have much of a choice when it came to canned tomatoes (he often used Heinz tomato paste), and, as an economical cook, he often preferred dried herbs over fresh, and liked gambling on the latest butcher's special. It was never mystery meat, per se, but he somehow made everything -- even the bargain cuts of meat -- taste delicious. In my version of his stuffed cabbage rolls, I've upped the ante just a bit, using canned San Marzano tomatoes, available in most supermarkets, plus fresh herbs and fresh ground pork. This recipe also calls for green cabbage, but if you can find the darker, frilly-leaf Savoy, it's often more tender and a solid choice for both raw and cooked recipes. Choose cabbage heads that are tight and free of brown spots, and be sure to remove the first outer layers before cooking.

As with most recipes passed down through the years, it's more about the memory of someone's warm kitchen and the generous act of feeding one another. And so it is with Poppy's recipe; the brightness of the tomato with the tender pork stuffing is simple and delicious, but reflects more on his love of cooking and sharing the simple joys of the table -- and that memory alone is enough to sustain me throughout the darker months.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, inspired by Poppy

For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with cooked rice, bulgur, or quinoa; also consider adding a handful of currants, thinly sliced kale or cabbage, and more cheese.

Ingredients

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1 large head green or Savoy cabbage
1 pound ground pork or veal or 1 pound fresh pork sausages (Italian sweet), casings removed
1 large egg
4 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced, divided
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley, or basil
Pinch of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1/3 cup packed grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
Chopped fresh herbs such as basil, dill, or parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Prepare the cabbage: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Discard any broken or discolored outer leaves of the cabbage and, taking care not to tear the leaves, remove 12 to 14 whole leaves from the head. Blanch the leaves in the boiling water for about 1 minute, until just wilted and pliable. Spread leaves on paper towels to dry and cool. Cut away the tough stems, using a small, sharp knife, and discard.

2. Make the filling: Combine the ground pork or sausage, egg, half of the minced garlic, herbs, cinnamon, salt, pepper, cheese and pine nuts, if using, together in a large bowl and mix, using your hands or a fork, just until blended.

3. In a large pan, add the tomatoes, crushing with your hands or a potato masher, and remaining minced garlic over medium-high heat. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Stir in the fresh herbs. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes while you fill the rolls.

4. To make the rolls, spread out each leaf and scoop, using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, some of the filling in the top center of each leaf. Fold the leaves over the filling and then tightly roll, like a burrito. Place seam side down into the simmering tomato sauce. NOTE: You can also close with a toothpick. Cover and let cook, over medium-low heat, about 30 minutes. Turn rolls over and cook again another 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rolls sit in the pot about 10 to 15 minutes before serving with more grated cheese.

More delicious cabbage ideas online

Sesame Napa Cabbage Salad

Pappardelle with Cabbage Prosciutto and Sage

Chinese Chicken Salad

Rustic Cabbage Soup

Beer-Braised Cabbage

Kim Sunée is the author of the national bestseller, "Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home." She worked as a food editor for the magazines Southern Living and Cottage Living, and her writing has appeared in Food & Wine, The Oxford American, and Asian American Poetry and Writing. She has appeared several times as a guest judge on Food Network's "Iron Chef America" and is currently based in Anchorage, where she's working on a cookbook to be published in 2014. For more food and travel, visit www.kimsunee.com.

Kim Sunée

Kim Sunée is a bestselling author ("Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home," "A Mouthful of Stars," "Everyday Korean: Fresh, Modern Recipes for Home Cooks") and a former magazine food editor. She's based in Anchorage. For more food and travel, visit instagram.com/kimsunee.

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