How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage
Truth be told, I am not a corned beef and cabbage person but wanted to make something in commemoration of St. Patricks Day, so I decided on stuffed Savoy cabbage, a fitting and brilliantly green veggie with a savory and healthy farro and meat filling. I gave the dish a little Italianism too, adding tomato sauce and Im OK with that - because even though St. Patrick is an icon for the Irish, he may have really been born in Italy. Let"s just say he has dual sainthood.
Stuffed Baked Cabbage Leaves
Serves 4
cup farro1 head Savoy cabbage (about 2 1/4 pounds), washed1 small onion, minced1 large garlic clove, minced1 pound ground beef or half ground beef and half pork1 egg, slightly beaten cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese plus extra for sprinkling up minced fresh parsley teaspoon paprika1 teaspoons salt teaspoon ground black pepper2 tablespoons minced fresh sage pound prosciutto di Parma thinly sliced and cut in half crosswise
2 cups tomato sauce
Soak the farro in 1 cup water for a couple of hours or overnight. When ready to use drain off the water.Cook the farro in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water until it is tender. Drain and transfer it to medium size bowl.Core around the cabbage and remove 10 large leaves. Reserve the rest for another use such as soup.Fill a large soup pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the cabbage leaves. Cook for 2-3 minutes or just until the leaves wilt.Remove the leaves with a slotted spoon and let them cool.Meanwhile add the onion, ground meat, egg, grated cheese, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper and sage to the bowl with the farro. Combine all the ingredients just until mixed.Lay out each cabbage leaf on a cutting board and with a small knife remove the lower 1-inch or so tough part of the central vein of the cabbage leaves because it makes it easier to roll up the leaves into bundles.Place a couple of slices of the prosciutto on each leaf and top with a generous 1/3 cup of the meat mixture in the center and then roll the leaf up, folding in the sides, to form a bundle.After making all the bundles, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the base of a 9 x 13 x 2 inch casserole dish.Place the bundles seam side down in the casserole and top with the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle the tops with additional cheese.Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer. Serve hot with some of the sauce.
Source: http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/food_dining/fork_lift/2015/03/savory_savoy_dish_adds_twist_to_tradition
