September Stuffed Cabbage Rolls from Gardenfreude

A note from Makie: My dear friends over at Gardenfreude are sharing an awesome autumn recipe with us.  Do enjoy! I’m totally jazzed about trying this…

The farmers market is brimming with fresh local food and there is no better way to nourish your body and soul than to make a great meal with great ingredients. As the early chill of fall starts to nip and we unpack our long sleeves, cruciferous and root vegetables are starting to dominate the markets. If you want to learn more about seasonal food in NYC read our article back over at Gardenfreude.

We found the most beautiful and photogenic Savoy cabbage you have ever seen and it inspired this recipe filled with food you can find at the market this week. This stuffed cabbage roll takes just over an hour to create and tastes like heaven. The entire recipe is vegan, but you could make amendments if you want.

Here’s what you need:

1 head organic garlic (onions as option)
3 large carrots
3 small kohlrabi
3 small celeriac (celery root)
1 large savoy cabbage
1 small purple cabbage
2 cups brown rice (uncooked)
2 boxes pacific mushroom broth
3/4 cup slivered almonds
2 1/2 cups white wine
olive oil
1 1/2 TBsp flour
salt and pepper

Boil water in a large pot on the stove and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

While things are heating up wash and prep all ingredients. Remove the dirtiest outer leaves of the savoy cabbage, and set aside 2-3 large leaves for each person dining. If you slice the ribs away from the core and start at the bottom it is easier to get the leaves off in one piece. Don’t worry if the leaves tear though- they will still wrap just fine.

Once your ingredients are washed you will want to get your brown rice started. We cooked ours in Pacific mushroom broth for the depth of flavor it adds. You could use any stock that you feel partial to.

Once the water is boiling prepare an ice bath in a large mixing bowl. Blanch the cabbage leaves one at a time in the boiling water. You will see them start to get translucent and the spines will move easily in the water when they are done. Plunge them in the ice bath and set aside to drain.

Peel the celeriac, kohlrabi, and carrots (optional). Take the outer leaves from the purple cabbage. Core the cabbage and rough chop all ingredients to make pieces about the same size. Pulse in the food processor to match the size of the brown rice grains and mix all the vegetables together. Pulse the slivered almonds a few times to roughly the same size and mix into the veg.

Peel and mince garlic and sweat it in the bottom of a large skillet or pan with some olive oil. Add the veg and almond mixture and stir well to distribute the oil. Cook until veg is tender but not too soft. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Incorporate the rice and the vegetable mixture. Taste again and season if necessary.

Take the Savoy cabbage leaves you set aside and trim the spines down so that they are easier to roll. Place the spine side down on a plate and spoon 3-5 spoonfuls of filling towards the root end of the leaf. Fold the sides in toward the center and roll the mixture so that it is wrapped completely. Place the rolls in a large baking dish.

Add equal parts wine and broth to the bottom of the baking dish. We used about 1/2 cup each. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until they reach desired tenderness. We like everything to have a little snap to it, but if you really like soft buttery veg you may cook as long as 45-60 minutes.

Sauce:

Using your cast iron skillet make a rue. We used Earth Balance, but you can use the fat of your choice- the process is the same. Melt about 2-3 tablespoons of Earth Balance in the bottom of the skillet. When it starts to bubble add a tbsp. of flour and whisk to combine. Slowly add more flour until it makes a bubbly paste. Continue whisking and cook until the mixture starts to take on a golden brown color. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add about 2-3 cups of broth a tiny bit at a time. Whisk at each stage and watch for the sauce to thicken before adding more liquid. When the sauce reaches the volume you want repeat the process with a bright white wine to brighten up the flavor.

Plate the cabbage rolls and cover lightly with a layer of sauce. Serve and enjoy!

We love to hear about the ways that you are saving and savoring the foods of the season.
Stop by and tell us about it or leave us a comment here and we’ll check back.

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