Category: Tomatoes

Cabbage Rolls

Words and Photos by Amanda Callahan of Callywood Farms

The classic cabbage roll dish that we generally think of is an Eastern European ancestral food, commonly incorporating tender cabbage leaves stuffed with a filling of rice, ground beef and aromatics then gently braised in a simple tomato sauce. However, this comforting combination turns up in many global cuisines like Asia, Europe, and North Africa.

This is a method recipe and once you have the basics down, it’s infinitely adaptable to seasonal changes and flavor preferences. For instance, in the fall I make one with a filling of roasted sweet potatoes, apples, and quinoa finished with a cinnamon spiced tomato sauce. It is divine. It also doesn’t have to be cabbage! Swap in collards or even Swiss chard. Heck, if greens aren’t your thing, the sauce and filling would be delightful tossed with pasta and baked.

Though the results are worth it, because of the rolling process this recipe does take some time and is best as a weekend cooking project as opposed to a weeknight dinner. However, we love the flavors of cabbage rolls so much that on weeknights we apply the flavors in different ways like in a soup or meatballs.

Ingredients

1 large head of green cabbage
1 pound ground beef
1 small to medium onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small carrots, shredded
2 celery stalks, chopped small
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 to 4 cups of your favorite simple tomato sauce, my favorite is here

Directions

Cut the core out of the cabbage, but leave it whole. Place the cabbage in a large bowl with the cored part facing up. Boil a small pot of water and pour the water over the cabbage and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan. Cook the onions until they are soft, and add the carrot and celery. Sauté them for a couple of minutes, until they are soft. Add the minced garlic and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool a bit. Mix in the meat, rice and tomato paste and season again with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven (or large pot with a lid), heat your tomato sauce (or make it).
Drain the head of cabbage. Pull off large leaves, trying not to rip the leaf. Cut out the large vein — if the leaf is very large, you can make two rolls from each, if it is smaller, you can cut the vein out partially and pull the sides to overlap before you roll it into one roll. Pat the leaves dry with towels.

Roll about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling in each leaf. Place each roll in the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, letting them simmer covered on the stove on low for about 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

Eggplant Garlic Olive Oil Recipes Tomatoes

Silky Eggplant Pasta

by Amanda Callahan

Cooking eggplant well and pairing it with pasta hides the texture and highlights this adaptable vegetable. I love using the long purple variety; I find it less bitter and the skin is tasty, too, as long as it is cooked enough.

If you use the larger, Black Beauty variety, one tip to make it more palatable is to slice it in circles, lightly salt each one, stack them up and let them hang out together for about 20 minutes. This method seasons the eggplant, and the water that seeps out supposedly carries away any bitterness.

A note on the tomatoes: every year, I enjoy dehydrating tomato slices to use in sauces, salads, and even seasoned as “tomato chips” throughout the year. I’ve used them here. You can sub a jar of sun dried tomatoes from the store, but you can also roast cherry tomato halves in an oven for about thirty minutes, too!

Photo and recipe by Amanda Callahan

Ingredients

1 pound long purple eggplant, cut into ½-inch slices
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
3 garlic cloves, smashed
Leaves from 2 sprigs thyme or oregano, chopped
1 cup stock or water
1 pound pasta, such as spaghetti
Handful of dehydrated tomatoes, chopped OR 4 sun dried tomatoes from a jar OR handful of roasted cherry tomatoes
6 to 10 leaves of basil, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Pour the oil into a wide, heavy saucepan, add the garlic cloves, and cook over low heat. It will take a few minutes to smell the aroma and hear the sizzle.
When you smell and hear it, drop in your eggplant slices and herbs, and stir to combine. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add salt and pepper and stir. When the eggplant starts to turn translucent and soften, add the liquid and let it come to a boil. Turn it back down to low. Let it bubble for a bit. Stir once in a while, so the bottom doesn’t stick.
While the eggplant is softening, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta cooks, check on the eggplant. The liquid should be mostly absorbed or reduced after about 20 minutes of cooking. Once it is fully soft, mash it up with a spoon or potato masher, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes, half of the basil, and season again if needed.
Drain the pasta and toss with the eggplant sauce. Serve with basil, crushed red pepper, Parmesan cheese or a little more oil!

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Crockpot Veggie Soup

All veggie quantities can be modified based on what you have on hand.
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Large carrot, chopped
Stalk of celery, chopped
Small turnip, chopped
1 cup green beans, cut in 1″ pieces
6 cups chicken or veggie broth
1/4 head cabbage, chopped
1/4 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup potatoes, chopped

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Collards Braised in Balsamic Vinegar and Tomato

Post author By Elian
Post date August 23, 2013
No Comments on Collards Braised in Balsamic Vinegar and Tomato

Submitted by Member: Renee Gahan

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(courtesy of Chef William Dissen)