Tag: cabbage

Casseroles · Czech Heritage and Dishes · Meats

Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Cabbage must be a part of my Czech/Slovak DNA because I love cabbage and sauerkraut. Cabbage rolls are so delicious, but I don’t have the desire to make the rolls, just enjoy the savory ingredients. This recipe was just what I was looking for. Even my 3-year-old granddaughter likes it. She must have inherited that piece of my DNA as well!

I made half of a recipe and used half ground pork and half ground beef, no veal.

Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup uncooked white rice (or any rice of your choice)
  • 2 pounds green cabbage, cleaned, cored and cut into two-inch chunks
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 ounces raw bacon diced
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tart red wine such as Merlot
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (90/10)
  • ½ pound ground pork
  • ½ pound ground veal (if you can’t get ground veal, increase ground pork to one pound)
  • 3 cups tomato juice (or for a more intense flavor, use V-8)
  • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup drained sauerkraut
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Cook rice according to package directions. Try to time the rice so that it finishes cooking as the preparation of the dish nears the end. If rice is finishes too soon, fluff and leave at room temperature to cool.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch cabbage chunks for five minutes. Drain, cool and set aside.
  3. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, place olive oil and bacon and cook until bacon is almost browned, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add onions and sauté for three minutes. Add garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add red wine and deglaze the pan.
  4. Move the cooked onion mixture to the edges of the pan and place all three meats into the center. Keep moving the meat around to brown and slowly work in onion mixture until the meat is fully browned.
  5. Add tomato juice, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Reduce to medium and simmer for five minutes.
  6. Add in sauerkraut, cooked rice and cooked cabbage. Bring back up to heat and simmer for five more minutes.
  7. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Recipe from Afamilyfeast.com

Czech Heritage and Dishes · Soups and Stews

Simple Sauerkraut Soup

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Sauerkraut Soup is a wonderful winter meal, reminding me of my Czech roots and of my Mother’s homemade sauerkraut.  I’m obsessed with trying new recipes, particularly those of my family roots.

I have followed TresBohemes.com for some time and enjoy their stories and recipes.  This one is delicious and easy to make.  As they say in the Czech Republic, Dobrou chuť (Enjoy Your Meal)!

SIMPLE SAUERKRAUT SOUP

1/2 tablespoon duck fat (you can use butter or olive oil if you prefer)
1 Polish Kielbasa, sliced
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 jar sauerkraut (lightly rinsed and drained)
1 cup fresh cabbage, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
water to cover
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
Sour Cream

  • In a large soup pot, melt the duck fat over medium heat.
  • Add the klobasa and cook until lightly browned.
  • While the klobasa is cooking, peel and cut the potatoes.
  • Once the potatoes are diced, add them to the pot.
  • Next add the sauerkraut and fresh cabbage.
  • Stir everything together.
  • Now add the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Stir again and then add water until all of the ingredients are covered (you may add more or less water depending on how thick you like your soup).
  • Next raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.
  • Once the soup has reached a boil reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  • The soup is finished when the potatoes and cabbage are soft.
  • To thicken the soup slightly and to give it a creamier texture, I like to make a rue once the soup is cooked.
  • To make the rue, cook the flour in a small pan over high heat, stirring continually, until it turns a light brown color. Then add the butter, continuing to stir the mixture until it forms a thick golden paste. At this point you should remove the pan from the heat.
  • Now add a ladle of the soup liquid into the rue and stir it until combined. Repeat this step until the rue has thinned in consistency. Once you have added 3 or 4 ladles of the soup liquid to the rue, you may pour the rue into the soup and stir to combine.
  • Serve garnished with a spoon of sour cream and a slice of Czech rye bread.

Recipe from tresbohemes.com

Appetizers · Breakfast · Czech Heritage and Dishes · New Favorite

Cabbage Pie

cathysmaha2 Comments

Cabbage Pie is a new recipe, similar to a Frittata.  I had cabbage that I needed to use and the other ingredients were on hand.  What a simple, delicious recipe. It’s easy to imagine my ancestors making a similar dish from these simple ingredients. I did not add cheese to my pie. Next time I would experiment with different cheeses herbs, and bacon.  It’s wonderful served with a fresh sliced tomato from the garden!

CABBAGE PIE

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
one small onion, halved and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
3 eggs
salt and pepper
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup flour
Shredded cheese (optional)

  • Combine sliced cabbage and onion in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Beat 3 eggs and add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour egg mixture over cabbage and onions.
  • Add flour to cabbage mixture and stir to combine.
  • Add sunflower or canola oil to a non stick pan.  Heat oil over medium heat.  Add cabbage mixture.  Cover skillet tightly with aluminum foil.  Place wooden cutting board (or heavy flat pan) on top of skillet.
  • Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
  • Remove cutting board and foil.  Flip cabbage pie onto plate and place other side down in pan.  Optional:  Sprinkle top with cheese and  cook until cheese is melted and bottom is golden brown.

  • Remove from pan.  Slice into wedges and serve.
  • Optional:  Top with a dollop of sour cream and chopped green onion.

Recipe from Olesea Slavinski on youtube.com

Family Favorites · New Favorite · Sandwiches

Runza

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I know Runzas are a staple to my Nebraska and Kansas friends but not something we grew up with in Iowa.  A few years ago I was watching the television show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives where they visit Lauer-Krauts  in Brighton, Colorado.  A friend and I made the trek to Brighton to try one of their krautburgers and they were delicious, but frankly, too far a drive when you have a craving.

This recipe was close to what we experienced and I decided to give it a try.  It was very good and I would love to try making them with either a mixture of fresh cabbage and sauerkraut or simply with sauerkraut.  Growing up in Iowa, Mom’s homemade sauerkraut was amazing and I now love all things kraut!

IMG_7620 IMG_7616

RUNZA

Makes 10 Runzas

Dough:

1/4 oz packet of dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs
3 1/2 cups bread flour
12 tablespoons salted butter
2 teaspoons salt

Filling:

1 pound lean ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoons salted butter
1 Vidalia onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 head cabbage, chopped

  • To make the dough, combine 3/4 cup of very warm water, a pinch of sugar, and the yeast in a bowl. Let it sit until it blooms. If you’ve never done this before, pop yourself some popcorn and sit back and enjoy the show. You’ll know what I mean when the “blooming” begins. Okay, maybe it’s not that cool…
  • Add 3 of your eggs and whisk with your yeast mixture.  Add 2 cups of your flour to the liquid and mix well with a wooden spoon.  Add the butter, the sugar, the remaining flour and salt and mix well.
  • Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes.  Place the dough ball in a buttered bowl and let sit for one hour at room temperature.  Transfer to the refrigerator and let sit for at least an hour.
  • Remove the dough and divide into 10 equal portions. Roll into separate balls and let sit covered while you make the filling.
  • Speaking of the filling, get your ground beef sizzlin’ on a skillet.  Season as desired with salt and pepper.  Cook until lightly browned, then remove the beef from the skillet with a spoon and place it in a bowl, leaving most of the grease behind.  Add your butter to the skillet and begin sizzlin’ your onion.  Cook until translucent, about 10 minutes or so.  Add your garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.  Add this whole mixture to the bowl with the beef.
  • Next, using the moisture still in your skillet, get the pan nice and hot.  Add your cabbage and stir constantly until the cabbage is lightly browned and translucent-ish.  It may seem like a lot of cabbage at first, but it shrinks down substantially.  Add the cabbage to the beef mixture.
  • Flatten your balls of dough with a rolling pin.  Each dough saucer should be about 8 inches in diameter.  Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of filling in the center of each dough-saucer and pull the edges together and pinch to enclose the filling in the dough.  To avoid a thickened dough-seal, I actually cut off the excess dough with cooking shears.  If you don’t do something like this, you’ll find a doughy center as you take your first chomp.
  • Preheat the oven to 375° while the runzas sit and rise for a bit.  Brush some of the egg (your remaining egg of the 4 you originally had) on the top of each runza to give it a nice browning while in the oven.  Cook the runzas on a greased baking sheet for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe from Highheelsandgrills.com 

Family Favorites · Holidays · Meats

St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Corned Beef and Cabbage is an Irish-American tradition, not one commonly found in Ireland. None the less, it is a tradition many of us treasure and cook only 1 time a year. I prepare this dish in my trusty Crock Pot and it’s perfect every time. This time I chose to omit the carrots and go with a basic beef, potato, onion, and cabbage meal.

Pair this dish with Irish Soda Bread and a beer (green) and have yourself a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

1 raw corned beef roast (3-4 pounds)
1 head cabbage washed and cut into wedges
8 red skinned potatoes, washed
3 carrots (optional)
2-3 medium onions (optional)
1 cup water
salt and pepper

  • Place corned beef brisket in crock pot and top with vegetables, water, salt and pepper.

  • Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
  • If you like your cabbage a bit crisper, you can add the cabbage 2-3 hours before serving.

 

Czech Heritage and Dishes · Gluten Free · New Traditions · Vegan · Vegetarian

Roasted Cabbage Slices

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Several weeks ago a Facebook friend shared a recipe for roasted cabbage and I meant to copy or print it.  Short story, short…I forgot.  This week I was in the mood for roasted cabbage and…no recipe. After a quick Google search, I found a similar recipe from Martha Stewart for Roasted Cabbage Wedges.

The recipe calls for caraway OR fennel seeds and I AM a caraway seed lover but decided to do a few of both. The fennel seeds won, hands down!  The fennel gives a nice touch to the roasted cabbage where I didn’t feel the caraway enhanced the flavor. My Czech ancestors would probably roll over in their graves if they heard me admit that!

Great recipe to pair with pork, Bratwurst or for a vegan dish.

ROASTED CABBAGE SLICES

1 tablespoon plus 2 more tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium head green cabbage cut into 1 inch slices
Coarse salt and pepper
1 teaspoon caraway or fennel seeds

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
  • Place 1 medium head green cabbage cut into 1 inch slices, in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Brush the cabbage slices with 2 tablespoons oil.
  • Season with coarse salt and pepper, then sprinkle with caraway or fennel seeds.
  • Roast until cabbage is tender and edges are golden, 40-45 minutes.

Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Family Favorites · Holidays · My Roots

Irish Soda Bread…St. Paddy’s Day Tradition

cathysmaha2 Comments

Let me just say that I will eat almost any ethnic food any time, any where.  While I’m not truly Irish, my family would say that we are part ‘Scotch-Irish‘.  Like every good American, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day eating the traditional corned beef, cabbage and Irish Soda Bread.

Irish Soda Bread is tasty and simple.  The key is to make sure the bread is cooked through by testing with the ‘hollow sound’.  It’s delectable served warm with butter, but I love a piece drizzled in honey.

This St. Patrick’s Day:

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
–Irish blessing

IRISH SODA BREAD

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon butter, melted

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large cookie sheet.
  • In large bowl, combine flour with soda, sugar, salt and cream of tartar, mix well.
  • Add buttermilk; with fork, stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn out dough only lightly floured board. Knead lightly until smooth, about 1 minute.

  • Shape dough into a ball; place on cookie sheet. With hands, flatten into a 7″ circle. With sharp knife, cutting 1/4 inch deep, mark into quarters.

  • Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until top is golden-brown and loaf sounds hollow when rapped with knuckle.
  • Remove loaf to wire rack. Brush top with butter; cool completely.

Yield: 1 loaf

Nicaragua

Hiking and a Picnic … Kicking back in Nicaragua

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Our tummies were full from breakfast and we were off to another local coffee farm, followed by a wonderful picnic lunch at a local river.

Our ‘back of the pickup’ excursion to the picnic location

Our local transportation was either by foot or in the back of a pickup. I love the open air experience, reminding me of riding in the back of my Dad’s 1958 Chevy Pickup around the Iowa farm.

The final leg of our picnic excursion was by foot, across a pasture and down to the local river for swimming, bird-watching, and howler monkey scouting. The weather was sunny and gorgeous. Local cattle watched the gringos pass through their green pastures with a curious eye.

The final hike down to the river bed was shaded by a canopy of beautiful trees, bubbling waters and water falls.

River bed in Nicaragua

Waterfall at local Nicaragua river

We put down our packs, marveling at the tremendous work it took for our hosts and staff to coordinate and transport all of the fixings for our gourmet lunch by the river. While our lunch was being prepared, some of our group enjoyed soaking in the river while other settled in on the rock of choice enjoying the splendor of our surroundings.

After relaxing for a bit, lunch was served.  (I am yearning a ‘do over’ as I write this.) The grilled kabobs, rice, cabbage salad, Pico de Gallo, homemade tortillas, and juice were delicious. Everything tastes better when enjoyed in the outdoors!

kabobs, cabbage salad, tortillas and rice at our river picnic

Fresh Pico de Gallo

Again, our tummies were full and….what’s that noise. Howler monkeys! This was our first experience hearing and seeing them. My dinky point and shoot camera was up to the challenge to capture a silhouette of these funny creatures.

A rain storm was moving in and we got moving, too! A quick hike back to the truck for our ride back to Finca Esperanza Verde. Free time awaited us…what to do? Hike, siesta, read? Decisions, decisions!

Family Favorites · New Favorite · New Traditions

Refrigerator Crock Salad…a slaw with many faces

cathysmaha1 Comment

My Mother occasionally made this salad, often with fresh ingredients from her garden.  The last time I made this recipe was 15+ years ago for a Christmas party.  This week I resurrected the recipe and tried it out in several ways.  Each combination was wonderful.

Refrigerator Crock Salad

1)  Side dish to barbecue ANYTHING

2)  Pairs very well with fish and would be GREAT on fish tacos

3)  On a sandwich (daughter Sarah’s fiancé, Kyle, put it on a turkey, cheese, and ham salad combo sandwich).  Sounds incredibly weird, but delicious!

Besides being delicious, this salad keeps in the refrigerator for several days.  In fact it just keeps getting better and better.

REFRIGERATOR CROCK SALAD

1 head green cabbage
2 green sweet bell peppers
2 red or orange sweet bell peppers
4 carrots
2 onions
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 cups white cider vinegar
2.5 cups sugar

  • Shred cabbage, peppers, carrots, onions in a large bowl.  Soak in salt water for 2 hours.  Drain well.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar and the sugar.  Pour over shredded ingredients and refrigerate.  Let sit for a minimum of 3-4 hours before serving.