Cabbage Roll Soup

When I was a kid, one of the things my dad looked forward to when visiting his parents was his mom's famous cabbage rolls.  We didn't live in the same city, so every couple of years when we would visit, you could be sure that cabbage rolls would be on the menu.  As excited as he was, I secretly hated them.  Grandma's house was the only place we ever ate them, and the sour cabbage was an assault on my undeveloped palate.

Since that time, I have grown and so have my tastes.  Cabbage rolls are now one of my favourite foods, but I don't have the time or patience to make them, and Grandma lives three provinces away (I don't think she's made them in quite a while, either).  One night, I had a mad craving for some cabbage rolls, so I called my mom to see if she had the recipe for Grandma's special sauce.  I thought I would buy some frozen cabbage rolls, and then just make some sauce to bake them in.  Imagine my surprise when I found out that Grandma's special sauce is condensed tomato soup and ketchup!

This recipe is my attempt to harness the taste of those famous cabbage rolls while skipping the labour intensive rolling step and making a few substitutions in order to increase the health factor.

This will serve 6 - 8 people.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp organic canola oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, shredded
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1 bottle passata (crushed, strained tomatoes)
28 oz diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup barley (rice can be substituted)
1 1/2 cups sauerkraut
6 mild Italian sausages, cut into rounds
1 cup milk
salt, pepper

Directions:

1. Saute onion in canola oil with a pinch of salt until translucent and golden.  Add grated carrot.

2. Add paprika, garlic powder, sugar, passata, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, barley, sauerkraut, sausage. Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and cover.

3. Simmer until barley is tender and sausage is cooked through, about 30 - 40 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, add milk, and salt and pepper to taste.

5.  If you can leave it until the next day and reheat it, it will be even better.  Enjoy!

Shopping Tips:

1. Passata can be found in Italian markets, but I have also found it in grocery stores near the pasta sauce.

2. Make sure you buy plain diced tomatoes, not the ones that have added seasonings.

3. Sauerkraut comes in two forms: naturally fermented and pickled.  The way to tell the difference is to look at the ingredients.  If it is naturally fermented, the only ingredients will be cabbage and salt.  I prefer this kind because the natural fermentation process produced beneficial bacteria that aid in digestion and health gut flora.  The pickled kind will list vinegar as an ingredient.

This soup would make a great addition to any holiday table.  Bring it to a pot luck or serve it for Boxing Day supper.  It is easy to throw together and is better made ahead of time.

Cabbage Hash

When I hear the word "cabbage",  memories of limp, stinky boiled cabbage immediately pop into my mind.  From where, I have no idea since my mom never, ever made boiled cabbage or even cabbage rolls!  Fortunately, this recipe is a delicious way to enjoy lightly sautéed cabbage with no offensive odour whatsoever.  In addition, the humble cabbage is a super nutritious food that prevents cancer, lowers cholesterol, and helps heal stomach ulcers.

This week's recipe was inspired by blogger Heidi Swanson from 101 Cookbooks.  The original recipe can be found in her book "Super Natural Every Day".  This hash makes a great side dish, or it can be served with a salad for a light dinner.  For a vegan option, hold the cheese.  Serves four.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp coconut oil, plus more as needed.
115 grams of potatoes, unpeeled, and cut into tiny hashbrown-sized cubes
Sea salt
Half a red onion, chopped
15 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups cooked and cooled
Two large cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups finely shredded green cabbage (about half of a small head)
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium high heat. Sauté the potatoes and sea salt until the potatoes are cooked through.  They should be brown and crispy on a couple of sides.

2. Add the red onion and white beans as well as any oil necessary to continue sautéing until the onions are translucent.  If the beans become a bit crispy as well, even better.

3. When the onions are cooked through, add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.

4. Stir in the cabbage and cook for approximately 3 minutes until it is wilted but still firm.

5. Take the pan off the heat and finish with a sprinkle of dill and the grated parmesan.

6. Season with freshly grated black pepper and more sea salt, if necessary.

Shopping Tips:

1. Coconut oil should be virgin or extra virgin and cold-pressed.  It is easy to find now and will be a solid white colour at room temperature.

2. There are several varieties of white beans - use whichever ones you want.  If you use canned, try to find a brand that is BPA-free.  Eden organics usually are.  You don't want to take the time to cook a great meal and have it laden with carcinogenic BPA...

Options:

1. If you don't have coconut oil, you can use canola or extra-virgin olive oil, but the flavour will change.

2. Instead of potatoes, you could use leftover cooked whole grains such as wheat berries, faro, or brown rice.

3. You could use any kind of bean you want, including chickpeas, but again, the flavour will change.

4. And of course, you can use white onions or shallots instead of red onions and red cabbage instead of green.

Leftovers:

1. If you have leftover hash, you can fry it up again the next day for breakfast or lunch and serve it with a poached egg on top.  The soft yolk from the egg will create a nice sauce.

2. You will probably have leftover cabbage, dill, potatoes, and onion.  You can throw these together with vegetable stock, canned diced tomatoes, celery, and carrots for a warming soup.  You can even add some barley if you want.

3. This cabbage hash is also a useful recipe if you already have leftover potatoes in the fridge.  You will probably have to cut them into larger pieces for step one so that they don't turn to mush.

Last Taste of Summer Fish Tacos

Last week, Scott came home from work and said, "You can feel the cooler breeze in the air. This kind of weather puts me in a much better mood!"

For those of us a little less gung-ho about the end of summer, this recipe, requested by my aunt in Ontario, will help eek out the last drops of summer before turning to cooler weather fare.  Hopefully you will have one of those beautiful, hot autumn evenings this weekend so that you can close your eyes, ignore the leaves that have already started to turn, and pretend it's still July!

Yesterday, my dad was complaining that it takes too much time to cook and that he needs something he can make quickly after golf.   Well, your wish is my command - here it is! (I wonder if my family members will stop talking to me once they realize their off-handed comments are fodder for this blog...)

You can make both the slaw and the salsa a few hours ahead of time (i.e. before golf), and then quickly grill the fish at the last minute.

This recipe makes enough for 4 small tacos, which served the two of us just fine.

Ingredients:

1/4 head of red cabbage, sliced as thinly as you can
1 Tbsp honey
Juice of 2 limes
pinch of salt
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup of mango (I used frozen mango, thawed, since I couldn't get fresh), diced
Half an avocado, diced
1 Tbsp red onion, diced
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of half a lemon
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Fresh jalapeño, minced (as much as desired, optional) I used 1 tsp...

2 pieces flakey, white fish (I used tilapia because it is firmer than some others)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cumin

4 small soft tortilla shells.

Directions:

1. Mix the honey, lime juice, salt, and olive oil together.  Pour it over the sliced cabbage.  Cover and refrigerate.

2. Mix the mango, avocado, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño together.  Pour lemon juice and olive oil over top.  Cover and refrigerate.

3. Mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, cayenne, and cumin together.  Rub this paste over the fish.  Cover and refrigerate.

4. When you get home from golf, cycling, jogging, etc, grill the fish on a preheated grill plate on the barbeque, or cook it on a baking sheet under the broiler in the oven.   Watch it carefully so that it doesn't overcook.  It will only take 5-8 minutes.  Flip it over halfway through cooking.

5. Top each tortilla shell with the cabbage slaw, half a piece of fish, and the mango/avocado salsa.  Enjoy!

Leftovers:

1. You will have half an avocado leftover.  Look here for suggestions.

3. With the leftover cabbage, the New York Times did an entire article on red cabbage recipes for health.  Personally, I like to eat it raw...

Shopping Tips:

1. Remember that avocado should be just soft to the touch (like a peach) when it is ripe.  The smaller, darker Hass variety are more flavourful than the ones that are larger and lighter in colour.

2. Jalapeños are actually quite mild, so don't be afraid of trying some fresh chilli in your salsa.  The seeds and the white membrane are the hottest, so if you want less heat, just use the flesh.  Also, make sure you wash your hands immediately after cutting them and avoid touching any sensitive areas!

Here's hoping that you have the chance to enjoy a wonderful whole fresh and delicious dinner outside...