Food Matters Project #33: Lamb, Carrot & Turnip Stuffed Cabbage

After moving, we’re back cooking in the kitchen!  Can’t wait to tell you more about our new house, but this first post will be a Food Matters Project recipe.

This weeks recipe was chosen by Keely Marie.  She has hosted a Food Matters Project before, the Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables (her version; our version was the Vegetable & Bean Casserole).  This time around she has chosen Mark Bittman’s version of Rolled Cabbage.  Check out Keely Marie’s Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, and also take a look what other participants made.

We’ve moved into our new house, but there are many boxes which are still unpacked.  Therefore, I was unable to find my copy of Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook.  As we have been searching for the pizza cutter and our wooden spoons, I made my own version of stuffed cabbage.

Fortunately, thanks to my Polish heritage, I knew exactly what I wanted to put in these, and how I wanted to cook them.  This version is not like my Mom’s, or traditionally Polish- I’m saving that for another blog post.  Until then, enjoy these- they are very filling after a busy day of unpacking and organizing.

Rice & Lamb Stuffed Cabbage

Stuffing
1 cup uncooked rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, peeled & grated
4 small turnips, peeled & grated
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Sauce
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 carrots, peeled & chopped
4 small turnips, peeled & chopped
2 32oz cans of crushed tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

1 head of green cabbage

To make the stuffing, cook the rice per package instructions.  Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a bowl.

In a large saucepan, heat up the olive oil.  Saute the onion for about 5 minutes, until it is translucent.  Next, add in the garlic, carrots and turnips and cook for another 5 minutes.  Finally, add in the ground lamb, and saute until the meat is cooked, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer the stuffing to the bowl filled with rice, stir all of the ingredients together.

To make the sauce, mix together the onion, garlic, carrots, turnips, tomatoes, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl.  Then add the ingredients into a saucepan, over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and continue to simmer for at least 20 minutes.  Stir the sauce every couple of minutes.

As the meat mixture is cooling off, and the sauce is cooking, prepare the cabbage.  Cut out the stem from the inside of the cabbage.  Then peel off each cabbage leaf from the head.  Once you have all of your leaves, begin to boil a large pot of water.  Once there is a rolling boil, add 2 leaves into the pot at a time, and cook them for about 1-2 minutes.  Carefully remove the leaves from the water, transfer them to a colander, then rinse with cold water.  Repeat with the remaining leaves, gently squeezing out the excess water.

Finally, lay a cabbage leaf on the work surface, with the edge side facing you.  Then add in a couple of spoonfuls of the stuffing (rice, veggies, meat) into the middle of the leaf.  Next, fold the outside edges in, and roll away from you.  This technique should be very similar to rolling a burrito.  Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Place each of the cabbage rolls, seam side down, into an oven-proof dish.  Pour the tomato sauce over all of the cabbage rolls.  Then bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.  Pull it out of the oven, and serve!

Food Matters Project #19: Crunchy Fish Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce

It’s another Food Matters Project post!  I was very excited about it since it mentioned chimichurri sauce, which I have eaten, but never made myself.  This sauce originates in Argentina, and is a condiment which can be added to almost anything (steak, eggs, tacos).  It’s usually made from parsley and oil, but can also have cilantro or basil.  A perfect way to use extra herbs from your fridge.

This weeks host is Lexi, from Lexi’s Kitchen.  From Mark Bittman’s The Food Matters Cookbook, she chose Mixed Grill with Chimichurri.  Many of us change up the recipes from this cookbook, and Lexi did the same this week.  Check out her post or what everyone else made in their kitchens!  (The original recipe can be found on page 460.)

My biggest change to this weeks recipe was that since we haven’t had Mexican or fish (I’m not including the shrimp in the gazpacho) in some time, this was be a perfect opportunity.  In addition, I saw an awesome chimichurri recipe from Emily, of Em-i-lis, who I met at Eat Write Retreat 2012.  Definitely had to try it!  We’ve made Fish Taco’s with Sam’s Special Sauce before, so now a new version for everyone to enjoy.

 

Crunchy Fish Tacos with Chimichurri Sauce

Step 1:

red cabbage
radishes
green onions

Chop up all crunchy vegetables, arrange on a plate so everyone can add their own.

Step 2:
Adapted from Em-i-lis

1 cup (packed) fresh parsley
1/2 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño (optional)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Add all of the ingredients into a food processor, process until smooth.

Step 3:

about 1 lb fresh halibut
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
caribbean jerk seasoning

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a skillet and heat to medium high.

Meanhwhile, lightly coat fillet with olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and liberally dust with caribbean jerk seasoning.

Cook fillet on both sides for approximately four minutes on each side.  Remove from skillet and cut fillet into chunks.

Step 4:

tortillas (6 small or 3 large)

Have your tortilla ready (fried, toasted or warmed up) and arrange all of the ingredients.  Enjoy it with a cold beer or tasty margarita!

Colorful Slaw

Whenever I think of coleslaw, the images of lots of mayonnaise pop into my head.  I recently bought Jamie Oliver’s book, Jamie’s America, and was flipping through the recipes.  This slaw caught my eye- especially since it did not use any mayonnaise.

With the weather warming up, we’ve been eating our dinner upstairs on the rooftop.  This salad was perfect for a fast and easy dinner.  We accompanied this dish with some cheese (from Cowgirl Creamery)  and fresh bread, making it a perfect low-key dinner.

Jamie recommends this salad as a side with some chicken or pork chop.  He notes that you can change up the salad with different flavors.  Leave the onion, cilantro and white cabbage as a base, but feel free to add asparagus or fennel to further enhance the taste of this salad.

Colorful Slaw
Adapted from: Jamie’s America Cookbook

1/2 head of cabbage
1/2 head of red cabbage
20 radishes; trimmed & thinly sliced
4 carrots, peeled
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
2 jalapeños, chopped finely
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 3 limes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

The quickest way to make this is to use a food processor.  The mandolin attachment shreds the cabbages and carrots into tiny pieces.  If you do not have one, a grater will do the job as well.

In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage (white not red) with the radishes, carrots,  cilantro, jalapeños and onions.  Mix everything well.  In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  Once the ingredients are integrated, pour over the slaw.  Once again, toss together.

Finally, fold in the red cabbage right before serving.  If you add it at the beginning, the red cabbage can stain all the other ingredients.