The Ultimate Vehicle For Cabbage
Some time ago, I began making a cabbage, rice and lentil casserole and inflicting it upon my cabbage-resistant spouse.
The somewhat less than optimal response led to me adding a portion of the cheezy sauce from kittee 's blog as a top layer. This turned the casserole into what was judged "an acceptable vehicle for cabbage".
Over time, I played with various cheezy sauces, including the "nooch" sauce from Veganomicon, sometimes adding slices of Cheesly mozerella. Reception ranged from muted acceptance to, "Hey, that's not bad."
Today, however, I am informed that the game has been changed. Now we have what I am told is "the ultimate vehicle for cabbage." And so, to honour this momentous occasion, I give you... THE RECIPE!!
1 head of green cabbage
1 16oz jar of pasta sauce or tomatoes (I've made it in the past with blanched and skinned fresh tomatoes)
1 cup lentils (I use red or brown)
1 cup brown rice (I use brown basmati, as I buy rice in bulk)
3 cups veg stock
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp or so of chopped garlic or garlic paste
About a tablespoon or so of herbs (I use parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, marjoram, etc. - whatever there is in whatever combination and proportion I fancy)
1 or 2 portions of your favourite cheezy sauce
And the Magic Ingredient: About half a tablespoon or so of rose harissa (which sounds like a Victorian heroine, but is actually a Tunisian hot chilli paste)
The somewhat less than optimal response led to me adding a portion of the cheezy sauce from kittee 's blog as a top layer. This turned the casserole into what was judged "an acceptable vehicle for cabbage".
Over time, I played with various cheezy sauces, including the "nooch" sauce from Veganomicon, sometimes adding slices of Cheesly mozerella. Reception ranged from muted acceptance to, "Hey, that's not bad."
Today, however, I am informed that the game has been changed. Now we have what I am told is "the ultimate vehicle for cabbage." And so, to honour this momentous occasion, I give you... THE RECIPE!!
1 head of green cabbage
1 16oz jar of pasta sauce or tomatoes (I've made it in the past with blanched and skinned fresh tomatoes)
1 cup lentils (I use red or brown)
1 cup brown rice (I use brown basmati, as I buy rice in bulk)
3 cups veg stock
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp or so of chopped garlic or garlic paste
About a tablespoon or so of herbs (I use parsley, thyme, basil, oregano, marjoram, etc. - whatever there is in whatever combination and proportion I fancy)
1 or 2 portions of your favourite cheezy sauce
And the Magic Ingredient: About half a tablespoon or so of rose harissa (which sounds like a Victorian heroine, but is actually a Tunisian hot chilli paste)
- Turn your oven to 350F/180ishC
- Chop your cabbage in half
- Roughly chop one half of the cabbage (ROUGHLY, I say! Be merciless and cruel!) and pop it in the casserole dish, where it will lie naked and shivering for a couple of minutes
- Do the same to the other half of the cabbage (because fairness is important) and pop it in a bowl with all the other ingredients save the sauce, and mix them up reasonably well
- Dump the bowl full of wet cabbagey goodness into the casserole dish on top of the naked cabbage and spread it out well
- Add your chosen cheezy sauce (or don't - it's no skin off my nose if you choose to do without, and I promise I shan't hold it against you)
- Put the lid on the casserole and put the lot into the oven for about 90 minutes
- Take it out of the oven, turn the oven off, and eat as much of the casserole as your tummy will allow (you may have to share, but such is life)