Or even better – it will take very little time in the kitchen. If routine has taken over your culinary everyday life, the “Iki” chef suggests trying 3 recipes that will help surprise your family daily with delicious dishes, according to the press release of this retail chain.
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Eat for health
Many have long known about the beneficial properties of cabbage, its abundance of vitamins and minerals. They are an excellent source of vitamins C, K, B group vitamins, as well as potassium, magnesium, and other minerals. Fresh cabbage is rich in antioxidants, which help protect the body from free radicals, says vegetable and fruit department employee Jolanta Sabaitienė.
“Not least is the fact that cabbage is low in calories and high in fiber, making it perfect for those wanting to maintain a healthy weight. Fiber also helps improve digestion and regulate blood sugar levels. By including fresh harvest cabbage in your diet, you can not only help your health but also enrich your menu with tasty, nutritious food. Of course, how you prepare it is very important – it’s best not to cook it for too long and to choose lighter sauces and seasonings,” advises the vegetable expert.
Running out of ideas? Here you go
One of the tastiest and simplest ways to prepare fresh cabbage is to lightly fry it. This can be done in a pan by frying finely chopped cabbage with a little butter, adding dill, and seasoning with bacon. Fried cabbage is incredibly delicious straight from the oven – just cut it into large slices, brush with oil or butter, season with salt and pepper. Serve the cooked dish as a side, mix it in salads, or pour sauce over it and serve as a main vegetarian dish.
“Fried cabbage is very tasty, but if you made it every day, after a week everyone would probably get tired of it. Fortunately, this vegetable pairs well with a wide variety of additions. Fresh leaves can be used to prepare different dishes – both salads, soups, and casseroles. You don’t have to limit yourself to dishes well known to Lithuanians, such as stuffed cabbage rolls or cabbage soup. Cabbage is popular in many countries, so it’s worth drawing inspiration from other culinary traditions,” invites culinary chef Jolita Tamoševičienė.
For example, the Japanese make pancakes from cabbage, in Central Europe it is combined not only with meat and sausages but also with pasta, Poles prepare the famous “bigos” from fresh and sauerkraut cabbage, they put it in dumplings, Americans have countless recipes for coleslaw salads, the Irish prepare mashed potatoes with cabbage, and Mexicans add it to popular tacos.
“Don’t forget that fresh harvest cabbage has a mild flavor, is juicy and crunchy, so it fits very well with many salad combinations. Traditional combinations with carrots, cucumbers, or dill have proven successful, but you can also use your imagination. Cabbage also pairs well with sour fruits, such as kiwis or rhubarb. If you prefer sweeter vegetable additions, combine them with corn or beets. For a more gourmet option, cabbage goes perfectly with shrimp or blue cheese sauce,” shares J. Tamoševičienė with ideas.
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She suggests trying 3 new recipes that are easy to prepare and may become some of your favorite dishes with fresh cabbage.
Turkish “stuffed cabbage rolls”
Servings: 6
Cooking time: about 1.5 hours
Ingredients: 1 fresh white cabbage, 0.5 kg ground meat, 200 g white rice, 100 g bulgur, 4 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons butter, a handful of parsley, 2 cups water, black pepper, 0.5 teaspoon ground paprika (you can also add a pinch of hot paprika), salt.
Preparation:
- Put the cabbage head into a large pot, cover with water, add a splash of oil, and boil until you can separate the leaves from the head.
- To the ground meat add pressed garlic, finely chopped onion, tomato paste, ground paprika, cooked bulgur, and rice. Melt butter in a small pot. Season the meat to taste with salt and pepper, add chopped parsley, and pour in the melted butter. Mix all ingredients well.
- Wrap the filling in small amounts into cabbage leaves. Place 2–3 cabbage leaves at the bottom of the pot, arrange the cabbage rolls side by side on top, and pour water over them. Bring to a boil and cook until the cabbage is completely soft, about 1 hour.
- Alternatively, instead of boiling, you can place them in an oven dish, pour tomato puree with salt, pepper, and garlic over them, and bake in a 180-degree oven for 30–40 minutes.
Japanese fresh cabbage pancakes Okonomiyaki
Servings: 4
Cooking time: 30 min.
Ingredients: 3 eggs, 400 g fresh cabbage, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, ¼ cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt, a bunch of fresh green onions.
For the sauce: 100 ml yogurt, a clove of fresh garlic or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper.
Preparation:
- Make the sauce: mix all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Finely chop the cabbage and green onions. In a bowl, mix eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Gradually stir in the flour until the batter is smooth. Add the cabbage and green onions.
- Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick pan. When the oil is hot, form pancakes from the batter. Before placing in the pan, stir the batter again to evenly coat the cabbage with the flour that has settled at the bottom of the bowl.
- When the pancakes are cooking on one side, smooth them with a spatula. When the bottom is browned (about 3 minutes), flip and fry the other side. Drain excess oil on paper towels. Serve the prepared pancakes with garlic yogurt sauce.
Vegetarian French quiche with cabbage
Servings: 6
Cooking time: 55 min (30 min preparation and 25 min baking)
Ingredients: 1 large sheet of puff pastry, 200 g fresh cabbage, 100 g carrots, 1 onion, 3 eggs, 2 teaspoons honey, 50 ml cream, 40 grams Gruyère or other favorite good melting cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper.
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Preparation:
- Peel and slice the onion. Pour a splash of olive oil into a pan and sauté it over low heat. When the onion becomes translucent, add two teaspoons of honey. Cook until the onion caramelizes, then set aside.
- Cut the cabbage into small pieces, peel the carrots and use a vegetable peeler to cut them into thin strips lengthwise. Drizzle olive oil in a large pan and sauté them. Do not cover and cook until the carrots soften slightly but remain crunchy. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add cream, salt, and pepper, and beat well.
- Roll out the dough and line a pie dish with it. The sides should remain raised. Place the onions on it, then the cabbage and carrot mixture, finally pour the eggs over and sprinkle grated cheese. Fold the dough edges and bake at 180 degrees for 25 minutes.
