(Green) Late Fall Stuffed Cabbage
The second in our color observation exercise
I’m hoping to break a creative rut through the use of color observation. I am doing this by focusing on one color at a time, thus discouraging overstimulation and actually making use of the inspiration surrounding (hopefully). This exercise is discussed at greater lengths in a previous article.
Green is next in our focus.
Every bitter cold day means green is slipping away further. New Englanders know that the seemingly sudden change of seasons comes with the territory. With the new atmosphere comes a need for a style switch up, new personality, new aspirations… god forbid some homemade bangs are cut. Summer slipping away, and with that goes the vivid green that we crave all year long. Instead, dark greens from pine trees and Christmas memorabilia flood our vision.
I hoped to sneak this color in before being bombarded with pumpkins and butternut squash, and while the farmers market is still teetering on abundance. But, instead I’ll practice patience in my creative process and hope this gets to you when it’s fully formed.
Green often symbolizes tranquility, growth, and nature— according to the internet. And to that I whole heartedly agree. But, my mind skips these descriptors and screams out ‘patience’.
My parents’ live wall that they built with the knowledge that 3 summers will pass before it is full of intertwining vines.
Green, my best friend’s favorite color, a woman who will stay on the phone with me for hours as I talk in circles. Patience, one of her greatest strengths.
My light-green coffee table, a repurposed cargo chest from the Vietnam war. Newspapers adorn the inside as a reminder of its origin.
The science building in University built with a copper roof that oxidized to seafoam green. Architects’ design intentions patient in the process.
The two-year-old crumpled grocery list I continuously find in my favorite green jacket that for some reason I haven’t found a reason to part with.
And lastly, your patience as I navigate this new city and career, putting my writing on the back burner.
The Recipe
Searching for some vegetarian options this Thanksgiving we settled on stuffed cabbage rolls. After doing research on the origin of stuffed cabbage I came to find out there are more than 50 different names for this dish all over the world. The Greek’s Lahanodolmades, to Sweden’s Kåldolmar, and Maḥshī Kromb from Egypt. Each with their own flavor profiles and cooking techniques. Here’s the recipe to the version we had on our Thanksgiving table…
Ingredients:
Savoy Cabbage (easiest for rolling)
Long Grain White Rice
Bay Leaf
Fennel
Onion
Garlic
Portobello Mushrooms
Lemon
Thyme
Butter
Optional: crushed tomatoes or passata
Step 1) Prepare the filling.
Cook rice in rice cooker or over stove top. Add a bay leaf and some butter.
For the vegetable preparation; finely dice mushrooms, fennel, onion, and garlic. Generally speaking we are looking for a uniform size with the grain of rice.
On high heat add a tablespoon of oil to your pan and sear your mushrooms quickly. This will help to avoid losing a lot of moisture from the mushrooms and making a very wet mixture. If water begins to come out, just continue to cook it down until the moisture has evaporated.
Bring the heat down and add your fennel and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft. Lastly, add garlic and picked thyme. Allow to cool.
Step 2) Blanching Cabbage
Carefully peel off each layer of cabbage until it becomes tough and a very light color — repurpose for another cabbage dish. ( At one point we had over 4 cabbages in our fridge… kimchi and kraut time)
Cook each leaf for about 10 seconds in boiling salted water. I put no more than 3 in at a time to be sure I have evenly cooked leaves. They will be malleable after this.
Step 3) Filling Rolls
Lay each leaf flat and spoon around 2 tbsp of filling onto the bottom of the leaf, roll like a burrito/cigar/whatever cylindrical analogy you’d like. The sides should be folded in to ensure nothing spills out.
Step 4) Optional Step… Bake with tomato sauce
I enjoy smothering the rolls with a can of crushed tomatoes or passata. Then baking for 30 minutes. Although, we decided on Thanksgiving day we kept them plain and poured mushroom gravy over top.
This recipe can be made in so many ways and is the easiest meal prep option. This is not really reinventing the wheel here, but there are already 50+ versions to serve as inspiration so let this just be a reminder to make something yummy for dinner this week.
XXOXOXOXOXOOOO Thank you for reading and your patience!! Chat so soon!