Think back—when was the last time you bought a red cabbage? Now, ask yourself: When did you use it for something other than salad? Challenging, right? Despite being one of nature’s most striking vegetables, red cabbage often stars in cold dishes. But not anymore.
We will turn a red cabbage into a culinary masterpiece with two exciting recipes. The first is a stuffed cabbage dish featuring a tangy lemon sauce that complements the cabbage’s natural sweetness and vivid color. The second is a unique red cabbage shakshuka, where soft eggs meet buttery, sautéed cabbage for a warm and satisfying twist.
Stuffed purple cabbage with meat and rice in a lemon sauce
Ingredients:
For the filling:
- 5 celery stalks with leaves
- 1 head of red cabbage
- 300g (10.5 oz) ground meat
- 1 cup short-grain rice
- ½ bunch parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baharat spice mix
- 1 tbsp silan (date syrup)
For the sauce:
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ lemon, sliced thinly for garnish
- 4 tbsp silan or maple syrup
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups boiling water
Instructions:
- Prepare the cabbage: Remove the core from the cabbage. Boil the cabbage in a large pot of water, peeling off the softened outer leaves every 10 minutes. Continue until all the leaves are separated.
- Cut each cabbage leaf in half and remove the thick central vein.
- Make the filling: Rinse the rice thoroughly and drain well. In a bowl, mix the rice with ground meat, onion, parsley, garlic, olive oil, salt, baharat, and silan until evenly combined.
- Place a small amount of the filling on a cabbage leaf and roll tightly into a cylinder without folding the edges.
- Chop the celery (or slice tomatoes if preferred) and arrange at the bottom of a large 28cm sauté pan. Pack the stuffed cabbage rolls tightly on top.
- Prepare the sauce: Mix all sauce ingredients and pour over the stuffed cabbage, ensuring the liquid just reaches the top layer. Add water if necessary. Place any leftover celery leaves on top.
- Cover the pan and cook in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for 1.5 hours, or simmer on low to medium heat for 75 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.
- Thinly slice the remaining lemon. When the rice is done, garnish with lemon slices and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes, occasionally spooning the cooking liquid over the rolls.
Purple cabbage shakshuka
Ingredients:
- ½ head red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 medium eggs
Instructions:
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet until the butter melts.
- Add the cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until it softens and turns a rich purple hue.
- Make small wells in the cabbage and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks remain runny.
- Serve hot and enjoy this vibrant twist on a classic dish.
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