CABBAGE

CABBAGE
The Humble, Homely, Healthful Head

I think it safe to say that for most Americans, cabbage and in particular the dense-headed white cabbage is associated with the cuisines of northern and eastern Europe. The Poles are, of course, prodigious cabbage-eaters and it was the Dutch of New Netherland who gave this country the ever popular 'cole slaw' (in Dutch, kool sla literally 'cabbage + salad'). Then there are a number of fine dishes from the British Isles that one can't help but think of, such as 'bubble and squeak', colcannon (from the Irish cál ceannann, literally 'cabbage + white-topped', i.e. 'white cabbage'), and the quintessential Hiberno-American dish of corned beef and cabbage. And last but far from least comes Sauerkraut, a dish which here bears its German name but is popular throughout central, northern and eastern Europe and is in its rôle as a tangy blanket for frankfurters one of the most commonly consumed forms of cabbage in this country.

Cabbage is, however, probably not thought of by most people as a particularly central element of the cuisines of the Mediterranean. This is a misconception. Indeed, it was a staple for both the Greeks and Romans already in classical times. The degree to which this plant was a basic element of the Greek diet is reflected in the fact that the modern Greek word for 'vegetable', lahanikó, is a derivative of the word for 'cabbage', láhano. The Neapolitans, who are nowadays referred to as mangiamaccheroni, that is, 'maccheroni-eaters', used to be known as mangiafoglie or 'leaf-eaters' and for much of the year the leaves most often eaten were cabbage leaves.

I hope that this thread will draw out from the LTH community good recipes for white cabbage and include some of the more common cabbage dishes as well as some less common ones. To this end, I offer a not so common sort of a cabbage dish below.

Antonius
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Rigatoni alla Crema di Cavoli di Antonius

The last time Amata and I were in Rome, on a cold November day, we had a very memorable dinner in a small restaurant near our hotel in the old medieval centre of town. This restaurant, called Arnaldo ai Satiri, is on the Via Grotta Pinta in the area around the Campo de' Fiori; brief descriptions of the establishment can be found here in German and here in English. As a primo, I ordered one of the specialties of the house, rigatoni alla crema di cavoli and it was absolutely delicious: a simple dish of rigatoni with cabbage and cream. I don't know, of course, the exact recipe used at Arnaldo's but I've developed my own take on the dish as briefly described below. I also don't know how this version rates next to the way Arnaldo's does it, but I humbly suggest that it isn't bad.

Ingredients:
• 1 lb. rigatoni (or other broad and short maccheroni such as paccheri, preferably imported from Italy)
• half of an average-sized (2-3 lbs) head of white cabbage, cut into small rectangles
• 1 small or half of a medium yellow onion, cut into small rectangles
• one small container of Italian heavy cream (panna da cucina)
• olive oil
• unsalted butter
• salt and black pepper
• nutmeg
• flat leaf parsley
• reggiano parmigiano

1. In a Dutch oven sauté the onion in a mixture of olive oil and butter at medium low heat, taking care not to allow the onion to take on colour.

2. Add the cabbage to the Dutch oven, mix well with the onion. Then turn the heat up to medium high and add a small amount of water or chicken stock. Add also salt and freshly ground black pepper. Once the liquid has come to a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover the Dutch oven and allow the cabbage to simmer until it is almost completely tender. At that point, set the cover ajar and allow any excess liquid to cook off while taking care not to allow the cabbage and onion to take on colour.

3. Cook the rigatoni in a large amount of well salted water.

4. While the rigatoni are cooking, raise the heat under the Dutch oven and add the cream. Grind a generous amount of nutmeg into the mixture and adjust for salt.

5. When the rigatoni are still very al dente, reserve a cup of the cooking water and then drain the maccheroni and add it to the Dutch oven with the cabbage, onion and cream. Stir well and allow the rigatoni to cook briefly together with the cream, cabbage and onion. If the mixture becomes too tight, add a little of the reserved water that the maccheroni cooked in; if the mixture is too watery, raise the heat a little and allow the rigatoni and cream to cook together until the proper consistency is achieved.

6. Garnish the dish with a small amount of finely minced flat leaf parsley.

7. Serve with a pepper grinder and a piece of reggiano parmigiano with a hand-grater.

8. Eat without delay.

©Antonius Volcinus de Montibus, 2004

Links to other recipes and cooking notes by this writer: http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=55649#55649

Haluski or Halushki

(Slovak/Polish)

So simple, so good. Must be many variations well-known in Chicago area. This one from Epi is my favorite:

1/2 pound fatty bacon (more fat is better)
2-3 small heads cabbage, julienned (don't use the hard white inner part)
1 package Egg noodles, boiled, and tossed with just enough oil to keep from sticking
2 large yellow onions, diced
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste (add after onions and cabbage are translucent, or it'll toughen up the cabbage if added sooner)

In a very deep skillet, fry bacon over medium heat to render about 1/4 to 1/3 cup bacon grease.

Remove bacon and set aside for BLT's or for nibbling (it's served its purpose).

Add diced onion, and fry until translucent.

Add cabbage, a little at a time, until it cooks down.

Add black pepper

Cover the cabbage once it's all in the skillet to add a little more moisture to it to help it cook down.

Once it's all cooked down and tender, salt it (not too much, as you have salted the water you cooked the noodles in).

In a deep bowl, add hot cabbage mixture to noodles and toss until completely mixed.

Bill:

That's a really nice and simple recipe which I'll definitely try soon. Last summer I got an enormous package of Polish-made egg noodles from Kurowski's which cost almost nothing. I just ran out of them so it's a good occasion to go back, buy some fatty Polish bacon and some more of those noodles.

A

Here's one of my favorites, adapted from Deborah Madison's great book about farmers' markets, Local Flavors. The best part is the buttery melt-in-your-mouth cabbage. I serve this as a side dish or as a topping for bruschetta.

Beans with Cavolo Nero and Savoy Cabbage

1 cup dried beans (she suggests cannellini, navy, or gigantes...I often do pintos or pretty much any bean in the pantry), soaked overnight.

salt & pepper

2 large onions, or equal parts onions and leeks, diced

1 bunch cavolo nero (black kale), or any kind of kale or even chard, stems stripped and leaves julienned

1 small Savory cabbage, quartered, cored, and chopped (or half a head of another type of cabbage)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

Drain the soaked beans, then put them in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and simmer, partially covered, until tender, about an hour to an hour and a half.

Rinse the kale and cabbage but don't dry.

Put two tablespoons oil in a wide skillet. Warm over medium-low heat, then sweat the onions and/or leeks until soft, about 12 minutes. Add the kale, cabbage, garlic, parsley, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook with the heat on low, covered, until the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.

When the beans are done, add them, along with a cup or so of the cooking liquid, to the vegetables. Simmer until the greens are completely tender. Taste for salt and season with pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top before serving.

A:

If you like the Halushki, there are endless ways you can use it with all kinds of leftovers. I had some left over chow fun (fresh rice) noodles which I subbed for the egg noodles and some smoked pork chops which I chopped up and added at the end. Chowlushki Hash!!!!

Bill/SFNM

I'm trying to find a simple recipe to make cabbage like they have as side dishes in Hungarian restaurants. I know that it is probably very simple to make and doesn't require many ingredients, but I can't seem to find the recipes in any of my cookbooks. Can anyone help me?

FoodGirl Robyn wrote:I'm trying to find a simple recipe to make cabbage like they have as side dishes in Hungarian restaurants. I know that it is probably very simple to make and doesn't require many ingredients, but I can't seem to find the recipes in any of my cookbooks. Can anyone help me?

i'm guessing that you want the recipe for a handsome and smart boyfriend that you probably have. i'll dig one up for you.

Antonius: As a cabbage lover, I made an immediate note of your recipe, and finally got to make it tonight for dinner. I loved it, as did the whole family. It's also quite simple to make. Thanks for sharing.

Jonah

I've grown to appreciate cabbage in its many forms and relatives quite a bit in recent years. When you realize that broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, rutabaga, rapini, kohlrabi, kale and collard greens are all part of the Brassica oleracea species, there's quite a variety to work with.
Some of my favorite ways to eat cabbage:

• Radicchio is not the same species, but closely related, and the trevisano variety is particularly tasty: purple, curly-leafed, great braised, or chopped into risotto.
• Bits of dried cabbage in my Chajang Myun noodles. Mmmm.
• Creamy cole slaws. Dominick's has always been one of my favorites, along with my mom's garlicy slaw. I just had some at the Loft with their friday fish fry. A bit of creamy slaw on a spicy pulled pork sandwich goes great.
• Rapini with linguini and garlic and olive oil
• Broccoli or rapini in pad si ew. Garlic again. I'm seeing a pattern.

JoelF,Thanks for reminding me of The Loft.I've wanted to go there.We pass them on the way to Randhurst.Can anyone recommend good non mayo cole slaw,restaurant or store versions?I dine with someone who cannot tolerate the mayo.

Jonah wrote:Antonius: As a cabbage lover, I made an immediate note of your recipe, and finally got to make it tonight for dinner. I loved it, as did the whole family. It's also quite simple to make. Thanks for sharing.

Jonah:

Thanks for trying it and I'm really happy to hear you all enjoyed it.

Here's another simple Italian (specifically Neapolitan) recipe for cabbage which works well as a side dish to simple meat preparations but seems especially well suited to accompany some nice grilled or fried Italian sausage.

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Saute some garlic in olive oil along with a good dose of freshly crushed dried red chile. Add cabbage, cut into medium sized rectangles. Stir the cabbage to coat with the oil and let the cabbage fry a little, while taking care not to burn the garlic. Then add either a few pomodori pelati OR a shot of passata di pomodoro OR both pelati and passata (depending on how prominent you want the tomato element and what texture you want). Add salt and pepper, cover and allow the cabbage to cook thoroughly but slowly at low heat.

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As a cabbage lover, how do you most often make it? Any unusual recipes?

Antonius

(edited for typos)

Antonius: Sadly, I've no creative recipes to share. In the summer I make the simplest coleslaw over and over, and in the winter, my undeceptively simple dish is to fry as much onion as I've the patience to slice, and then add cabbage. I think I just generally like simple vegetables such as cabbage and turnips, because they're cheap, delicious and underappreciated. (Beets used to be on the list, but it seems every restaurant in town now serves a beet dish).

Also, if you would be so kind, what are "pomodori pelati" and "passata di pomodoro?" I'd like to try your new suggestion when the opportunity arises.

Jonah

Jonah wrote:... in the winter, my undeceptively simple dish is to fry as much onion as I've the patience to slice, and then add cabbage.

That sounds pretty darn good. I could see that happily piled up beside some pork chops...

Also, if you would be so kind, what are "pomodori pelati" and "passata di pomodoro?" I'd like to try your new suggestion when the opportunity arises.

Pomodori pelati are canned peeled tomatoes. Lots of people like some of the American brands, esp. Muir Glen organic tomatoes, but I'm a traditionalist and very much swear by the ones from Italy marked "San Marzano" (a region of production around Mount Vesuvio). Other Italian brands that aren't "San Marzano" are usually also very good to excellent too.

Passata di pomodoro Passata di pomodoro is pureed Italian tomatoes, usual sold in a bottle (Pom brand comes in a carton), and there are brands that also are made with "San Marzano" tomatoes. Note that this stuff doesn't have any tomato puree in it, the thick concentrated stuff. Passata is thin in consistency and is excellent for adding a little hint of colour and hint of tomato flavour to a dish without adding any chunky element. It's also great for stretching a sauce at the last minute (e.g., you're cooking for 4 people, two more show up a little before dinner time; to increase the volume of a tomato sauce without changing it's character much, one can just pour in a bit from the jar.) I always have a jar in the fridge.

Passata is not as widely available as the canned peeled tomatoes from Italy but all the Italian stores carry it (Conte di Savoia, Caputo's, Bari, Riviera etc.).

A

(edited for typos)

Being Irish, I grew up eating LOTS of cabbage. It was traditional at AThanksgiving to have cole slaw, and at this time of year the cabbage is very nice and peppery, which makes for a good cole slaw.

I love colcannon, but prefer savoy cabbage for it. I loathe stuffed cabbage, I've never met one I liked and I've tried and tried.

There are some really good recipes for cabbage in Irene Kuo's The Key to Chinese Cooking. One cabbage and carrot salad that I used to routinely take on picnics, in the mountains, always a hit.

I also like a low, slow braise of cabbage. Not of the corned beef kind that stinks up the halls of apartment buildings (we always had lamb stew on St. Paddy's Day), but in an Italian vein, with some pancetta, some cabbage, some onions, some brussels sprouts, some good stock, sensible seasonings, some fresh fennel. It is so good. Savoy cabbage for this one.

I also like to plunge quarters of cabbage into boiling water for a few minutes, shock it back into existence, shred it, and then cook it with just a bit of onion or leek or shallot in a mix of oil and butter, very slowly, until it is almost caramelized. It is unbelievably delicious, and has a subtle unctuous flavor that can pair well with liver pates, even foie gras, and the right wine.

Next stop for la cucina del pobre, rutabagas!

Wherever a recipe calls for onions, try leeks (if they are in season) in place of, or in addition to, the onions.

Leeks are to cabbage as bread is to butter as...ah heck, try it.

For Antonius: a low heat covered braise (no liquid, just ample olive oil) of cauliflower, leeks, anchovies, pepperoncini and garlic; get everything going then add the sectioned cauliflower and cover. Takes about 25 minutes. The anchovy flavor transmutes to nuttiness (even anchovy haters will be fooled), the leeks are sweet, the red pepper flakes piquant. Substitue cabbage for cauliflower, works great--especially if you add some banana peppers or vinegar peppers.

Or leeks, onions, garlic optional, cabbage, ample salt (helps cabbage surrender its liquid quicker) and scant chicken stock to get things going. Another favorite.

For Cathy2 (becuz she actually might try it!):
Stuffed cabbage, Jewish sweet and sour style, without apologies allowing taste to trump kashruth.

--1 good sized cabbage;
--filling composed of 2.5 lb ground beef/pork/veal combined bound with 3/4 cup uncooked white rice, 8 medium eggs lightly beaten, 1 very large minced onion pre-sauteed with 1 bunch parsely and garlic, 1 cup of raw raisins and 2 tsp (or more) salt.
--Sauce of tomatoes (San Maranzano or equal quality) one large can and half again that quantity in chicken stock, pepperoncini, about a 1/3 cup medium brown sugar, 2-4 oz vinegar, garlic, 1/2 cup raisins, scant cumin, ample coriander, allspice, nutmeg and generous fresh ginger and any leftover cabbage leaves coarsley chopped.

Blanch the cabbage and cool; or nuke it to turn the large leaves limp.

Saute onion, garlic and parsely and let cool to room temp lest it curdle the eggs, then add to other filling ingredients. If you are afraid of raw food, saute some to check the salt level. Adjust.

Roll up the cabbage rolls and set aside.

Saute garlic and ginger, then add tomatoes (now chopped) and vinegar and raisins and spices and rest of sauce ingredients except sauce raisins and season to taste. Flavors should be strong, with good brown sugar/vinegar balance.

Gently layer the cabbage rolls into the pot with sauce--should be about 1/2" of liquid above rolls--top up with chicken stock if necessary; and coarsely chop any leftover cabbage leaves and throw those in to together with the sauce raisins; then bring to slow simmer.

Let simmer about 60 minutes, no stirring else you break up the rolls. Let sit 30 minutes off the flame.

Can also cook in glass baking trays, sealed tightly with foil, 350 oven around 75 minutes, but put a cookie pan or sheet tray on the rack below to catch the spills.

Reaches its peak the next day upon gentle reheat in oven.

Omit the pork at the expense of flavor. Do not substitute ground turkey or chicken--they are too lean. Use 80/20 chuck, ground pork loin and ground veal for best results. If using xlarge eggs adjust accordingly. Scant pepperoncini or fresh capsicum bearing peppers in the sauce couldn't hurt. Halve the onion and add leeks.

Serve alternate Sundays with Chicken Vesuvio (grin).

You could (as my mother and aunt did, and their mother--the worst cook who ever lived)-- forego many of the spice and sugar ingredients by crumpling in a box of ginger snaps. Ugh. Ghetto meets Ladies Home Journal, probably the source for that corn flake chicken we started to see around the time of the British Invasion.

Hey, that sounds like a recipe for holubtsi, the Ukrainian dish. My grandmother made it every time we visited, whether we wanted it or not.

She was Orthodox, but not Jewish. Of course, Poles and Russians and Croats and lots of other folks stuff cabbage leaves, but the version you describe is, as far as I know, particularly what one might get in Kiev.

Hi,

Thanks Steve - you're right, I might just make it!

I never made too many stuffed cabbage rolls because I was under the impression my family didn't like them. We went to a local deli where my Dad ordered cabbage rolls and cherished every bit. Everyone else got a bit excited and started sticking their forks into his plate. I learned there was something we needed to explore.

My oldest friend Mrs. F has been searching for the perfect stuffed cabbage roll forever. I have tried many variations of galobki at her table and none have been repeated. I really don't know if she has a memory, which none of these cabbage rolls live up to or she believes there can be better though the end result is ill defined. I'll have to ask her about this.

After reading a bunch of recipes in cookbooks and on the internet, I found my cabbage roll nirvana a bit quicker. I don't precisely use this recipe, I have to have my variations....

Slovak Stuffed Cabbage

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (WHITE RICE)
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic salt - FRESH GARLIC
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup INSTEAD I USE MY HOMEMADE TOMATO CHUTNEY, WHICH HAPPEN TO HAVE RAISINS IN IT.
27 ounces sauerkraut, drained
1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 medium head cabbage - SAVOY CABBAGE IS MY CHOICE
5 slices bacon (OR MORE)
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 cups water

The preamble to the original recipe, the submitter advises this is a scaled back recipe for 9 people only. I can imagine the original fed a crowd.

Cathy2 wrote:Thanks Steve - you're right, I might just make it!

Let me know what you think.

JeffB wrote:Hey, that sounds like a recipe for holubtsi, the Ukrainian dish. My grandmother made it every time we visited, whether we wanted it or not.

She was Orthodox, but not Jewish. Of course, Poles and Russians and Croats and lots of other folks stuff cabbage leaves, but the version you describe is, as far as I know, particularly what one might get in Kiev.

The Ukrainian/Polish gentile versions I've had rely heavily on the meat (read pork) and cabbage for flavor--aided by a bit of tomato and onion too. Not the sweet and sour and aromatic elements like in the above version--which by the way, is in no way authentic: its a gingersnap laden memory reread, refined and chef-tested.

And yes, my mom's parents hailed from Kiev too. I guess that's why I still lust after pierogi.

Antonius,

Thanks for starting such an interesting thread.

For Steve, Cathy2, and any other future stuffed cabbage makers here's a time and labor saving trick:

Rather than blanching and shocking the cabbage leaves prior to filling them, freeze the whole head of cabbage for a day or so. Remove the cabbage several hours before you plan to stuff the leaves. The freezing will have broken down the leaves to a state perfect for filling and rolling.
Then proceed with the recipe of choice.

Evil Ronnie wrote:Rather than blanching and shocking the cabbage leaves prior to filling them, freeze the whole head of cabbage for a day or so.

Yes, freezing is the best technique. But making stuffed cabbage is like making love--its a passion, difficult to plan or foresee.

(Our methods tells us something about ourselves, no?)

Sometimes a quickie is perfect.

Evil Ronnie wrote:Rather than blanching and shocking the cabbage leaves prior to filling them, freeze the whole head of cabbage for a day or so...

ER:

Many thanks for that tip. I had no idea of that method whatsoever. Old food ways are swell and I'm certainly more than willing to do things in time-consuming old-fashioned ways as an excuse for staying in the kitchen with a stash of wine and/or beer for long stretches of time, but indeed, "sometimes a quickie is perfect".

A

Hi,

Cabbage is something which can be harvested late into winter. I would imagine this stuffed cabbage rolls evolved from use of these winter cabbages. I bought a cabbage last night, which I left to freeze on my porch. After Christmas, this will be a fine meal.

Regards,

Antonius wrote:Here's another simple Italian (specifically Neapolitan) recipe for cabbage which works well as a side dish to simple meat preparations but seems especially well suited to accompany some nice grilled or fried Italian sausage.

aute some garlic in olive oil along with a good dose of freshly crushed dried red chile. Add cabbage, cut into medium sized rectangles. Stir the cabbage to coat with the oil and let the cabbage fry a little, while taking care not to burn the garlic. Then add either a few pomodori pelati OR a shot of passata di pomodoro OR both pelati and passata (depending on how prominent you want the tomato element and what texture you want). Add salt and pepper, cover and allow the cabbage to cook thoroughly but slowly at low heat.

Rummaging through the refrigerator last night I turned up a small head of savoy cabbage and the remains of a can of passata di pomodoro (well, really pomodori pelati that I pureed for a previous recipe) both of which were aging and calling out for attention, fusion. I recalled the recipe above but wanted something less Italianate so I North Africanized it, creating a faux-Egyptian/Tunisian cabbage dish. Once the garlic was fragrant I added a large onion thinly sliced into half moons. I left out the dried pepper. Meanwhile I roasted a hefty dose of coriander and caraway seeds and ground them in my trusty mortar and pestle. Once the onions were translucent and soft (but uncolored) I added the spices and a heavy dose of fresh ground pepper. When the spices became more aromatic, in went the cabbage rectangles for a quick fry. Then the pomodori were added, the saute pan covered, and it cooked over a low heat. Once it was soft and the liquid that had been given off was mostly absorbed, I added salt. Meanwhile a tablespoon or so of homemade harissa was cooked briefly with olive oil and then mixed in with the cabbage. This redolent, spicy, and, yes, quite homely, mess was garnished with a healthy dose of minced cilantro and parsley, adding a bit of visual appeal. Some things just can't really be dressed up ... and, if they're flavorful enough, and this was, there's really no need.

As a basic template, the Neapolitan recipe given above seems very adaptable. Different spices can change the character of the dish completely. I'm thinking another go with some juniper berries is in order.

rien

rien wrote:As a basic template, the Neapolitan recipe given above seems very adaptable. Different spices can change the character of the dish completely. I'm thinking another go with some juniper berries is in order.

I agree whole heartedly and your North African version sounds wonderful. I might try that with a few merguez or ladies' thighs (I mean the kind of meatball, folks) and some sparrows' tongues (I mean the the pasta shape) on the side. There are also German recipes that resemble this and I play around with combinations of Middle/Northern European flavours (Speck, caraway, paprika, etc.).

The mention of harissa has me off to the kitchen to try making a tuna salad with a touch of that condiment.

Anyway, very nice recipe.

Antonius

What a great thread. I have copied all the recipes into a new "Cabbage" file and will begin working my way through it. I regret I have nothing novel, cabbage-wise to offer in turn.

My grandmother (also from near Kiev) called her stuffed cabbage something that sounded a lot like "holubtsi" - I never saw it written but it came out sounding like "kholuptches." And I loved it. I don't know what her seasoning was, but her filling was ground chuck, onion, rice - as best I can recall. Basically, it played out like a very nice mild meatball wrapped in cabbage.

My first adult awareness of the possibilities of cabbage came from - of all places - Jeff Smith. I was watching one of the shows and he did a very simple Germanic red cabbage, caraway, white wine, apples deal. I had it in my memory for a long time, never bothered to write it down and have since forgotten it. It was quite yummy and a good side for all sorts of things.

Around a year ago I saw Martha Stewart and her mom make stuffed cabbage rolls on the Food Network. It looked really good and of course easy. At the end, she put a little sour cream in the sauce and that looked good. I know her show isn't on the food network any longer but here is the recipe.


www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=c ... =tvs3828ab

The best cabbage dish I know is one that a Georgian friend of mine makes. It is, approximately, as follows:
Chop one head of red cabbage
Put into a bowl with *some* olive oil (a light coating seems to work best)
Add a *couple* of cloves of garlic (chopped)
Squeeze a lemon or two into it
Mix, and let sit for a little while

I personally prefer it very garlic heavy, with a couple of lemons. The point is, it's just about the easiest recipe I know, and one of the best. I could (and, ahem, have) eaten the entire bowl myself.

One very simple and easy preparation is to quarter or eighth chop a small head of cabbage and loosely wrap the slices in aluminum foil with a chunk of butter and salt and pepper (other seasonings if you wish). Throw the packages on the grill....you can do this while the fire is burning down to the coals. The loose wrapping allows a little smoke to flavor the cabbage and the scorched carmel bits are delicious. Pull them off while they are still a bit firm and allow to steam in the packs until dinner is served. My buddy's sister loved this so much she ate about six packs in one sitting, we now call her cabbage girl!

I also watched Steve Raichlen do a variation with a whole head, which was cored to make a bowl and filled with BBQ sauce, cooked ground beef and onions.

pd

Antonius wrote:I might try that with a few merguez or ladies' thighs (I mean the kind of meatball, folks) and some sparrows' tongues (I mean the the pasta shape) on the side.

Unfortunately, there were no ladies' thighs on the menu, but there might have been some sparrow's tongues. I say "might" because there appears to be several bird tongues in the pasta world. If I'm not mistaken, the Italian Lingue di Passero - from Puglia? - is a wider form of the "little tongues," linguine. But there is also a North African pasta shape that I've seen referred to as sparrow's tongues and "lisan asfour" that is more like orzo. As with orzo/riso, it is often toasted first in oil before being cooked with a broth, as if it were a risotto but with less stirring required.

And that is what I did: toasted the orzo/riso/lisan asfour/sparrow's tongues in olive oil; ladled in chicken broth, sirring occasionally; adjusted for salt and pepper; and served topped with fried onions, toasted walnuts, and a dash or two of sumac.

Anyone have additional information on sparrow's tongues?

rien