Olia Hercules' recipes for Christmas vegetables
Caramelized cabbage stuffed with mushrooms, onions and chestnuts
This is an impressive vegetarian centerpiece inspired by a recipe from an old book called Moldavian Cuisine, in which cabbage is braised in broth. I prefer steamed sprouts, especially if I'm using the darling tender variety (AKA sharp). If your cabbage is very large, you may need to steam it a little longer than the recipe suggests: use your instincts here. The filling can be prepared in advance and frozen, then thawed before being stuffed into the cabbage.
Preparation 20 minCooking 50 minServing 4
200g chestnut mushrooms1 medium pointed cabbage (about 800g)40g butter or oil 2 shallots finely chopped bananas100g shiitake mushrooms50g roughly chopped cooked chestnuts (or pine nuts or toasted walnuts)
For the sauce1 small garlic cloves, peeled100ml fresh creamSalt and pepperA pinch of paprika - I particularly like the smoky stuff
Grate the mushrooms on the rough side of box grater (much easier than finely chopping them). Cut off the top 5cm of the kale and grate finely. (If you're using a regular white cabbage and it's on the long side, cut it in half across the equator - one half will feed four; if yours is larger, use both halves and double the amounts filling.) < /p>
For the sauce, finely grate the garlic in a bowl, then add the crème fraîche, salt, pepper and a pinch of paprika.
Melt the butter or oil over medium-low heat, add the shallots and a generous pinch of salt, and cook, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes, until until tender and lightly browned.
< p class="dcr-18sg7f2">Add the mushrooms and shredded cabbage, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Season generously, then add the chestnuts (or walnuts). The filling should be very well seasoned.Cut the stem from the bottom of the cabbage so that it can stand stably, but do not remove it so much that the layers fall apart. Place the cabbage upright in a steamer (if your steamer isn't big enough to accommodate it, use a large colander over a pot of boiling water and cover with a lid) and steam. steam for about 15 minutes (or a little more if your cabbage is large and its leaves are tightly closed together); you need the cabbage to soften enough to make it easy to stuff.
Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/465F/Gas 9. Gently open the oven leaves and generously stuff the filling between them. Brush the outer and exposed leaves with a little oil, then roast for five minutes. It should be charred and delicious looking; if you feel it needs more color, give it another five minutes.
Present it whole to the table, then cut it into wedges and serve with Garlic crème fraîche as an accompaniment.
p>Brussels sprouts with miso butter and honey glaze ="dcr-10khgmf">
This is an impressive vegetarian centerpiece inspired by a recipe from an old book called Moldavian Cuisine, in which cabbage is braised in broth. I prefer steamed sprouts, especially if I'm using the darling tender variety (AKA sharp). If your cabbage is very large, you may need to steam it a little longer than the recipe suggests: use your instincts here. The filling can be prepared in advance and frozen, then thawed before being stuffed into the cabbage.
Preparation 20 minCooking 50 minServing 4
200g chestnut mushrooms1 medium pointed cabbage (about 800g)40g butter or oil 2 shallots finely chopped bananas100g shiitake mushrooms50g roughly chopped cooked chestnuts (or pine nuts or toasted walnuts)
For the sauce1 small garlic cloves, peeled100ml fresh creamSalt and pepperA pinch of paprika - I particularly like the smoky stuff
Grate the mushrooms on the rough side of box grater (much easier than finely chopping them). Cut off the top 5cm of the kale and grate finely. (If you're using a regular white cabbage and it's on the long side, cut it in half across the equator - one half will feed four; if yours is larger, use both halves and double the amounts filling.) < /p>
For the sauce, finely grate the garlic in a bowl, then add the crème fraîche, salt, pepper and a pinch of paprika.
Melt the butter or oil over medium-low heat, add the shallots and a generous pinch of salt, and cook, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes, until until tender and lightly browned.
< p class="dcr-18sg7f2">Add the mushrooms and shredded cabbage, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Season generously, then add the chestnuts (or walnuts). The filling should be very well seasoned.Cut the stem from the bottom of the cabbage so that it can stand stably, but do not remove it so much that the layers fall apart. Place the cabbage upright in a steamer (if your steamer isn't big enough to accommodate it, use a large colander over a pot of boiling water and cover with a lid) and steam. steam for about 15 minutes (or a little more if your cabbage is large and its leaves are tightly closed together); you need the cabbage to soften enough to make it easy to stuff.
Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/465F/Gas 9. Gently open the oven leaves and generously stuff the filling between them. Brush the outer and exposed leaves with a little oil, then roast for five minutes. It should be charred and delicious looking; if you feel it needs more color, give it another five minutes.
Present it whole to the table, then cut it into wedges and serve with Garlic crème fraîche as an accompaniment.
p>Brussels sprouts with miso butter and honey glaze ="dcr-10khgmf">What's Your Reaction?
