It’s been a while since I posted a recipe, and a lot has happened. Global pandemic, I moved, I finished a masters degree that has nothing to do with music (or food), and all the while, I was cooking. Now that I have a bit of time to stick my head above the water, I’ll share some of what has kept me and my family going through the pandemic.
I first learned of this recipe while listening to Marcella Hazan’s excellent autobiography. In it, she describes this dish as the most satisfying possible way to combine simple ingredients into a fantastic meal. I could not agree more. It is also worth noting that this may be one of the most budget friendly ways to feed a family dinner that I know of. A head of cabbage usually goes for less than $1. The entirety of the ingredients could easily come in under $3 and feed a family of 4.
This meal gets its tremendous depth of flavor through long, slow cooking. You essentially caramelize the cabbage until is melts in your mouth and its sweetness combines with that of the onions and the earthy depth of the parmesan. Leave yourself at least 2 hours to make this dish, but know that nearly all of that 2 hours the dish can be left unattended. Do not rush this; it won’t be all that great and you’ll wonder what you did wrong.
Recipe
Time: 2 hours, mostly unattended
Feeds: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1 head green cabbage, outer leaves discarded
1/2 cup olive oil (don’t skimp)
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
Salt
Pepper
3 cups vegetable broth or water
2/3 cup white rice (preferably arborio)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
METHOD
- Quarter and core the cabbage, then finely shred it. You can do this by hand with a knife, or in a food processor. I usually do it in a food processor because it is much quicker.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large (8 quart or so) Dutch oven or wide pot. Add the onion and cook slowly for 8-10 minutes until the onion is noticeably beginning to darken in color. If it looks like the edges are getting crisp, lower the heat.
- Add the garlic to the pot and swirl around for 20 seconds or so.
- Add the cabbage, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Turn the cabbage over a few times to coat it in the oil, reduce heat to low and cover. If your stove goes super low, you might want to aim for medium low. You still want this to cook, but not burn.
- Cook over low heat, turning occasionally for at least 90 minutes.
- Once the cabbage is caramelized, add the broth or water and taste for saltiness. If you used water, or your broth is not very salty, adjust the seasoning. Add the rice to the pot and stir to mix. Cover the pot and cook for 15-20 minutes more, or until the rice is done.
- Once the rice is tender, add the butter and cheese, stir to combine and serve. The final consistency should be fairly thick, not soupy. A little bit of broth is fine, but you don’t really want soup in the traditional sense.