When we asked award-winning cookbook author Marie Simmons if she had a cabbage recipe she could share with us, she responded immediately: yes!
Marie e-mailed us a great looking recipe for cabbage leaves stuffed with risotto and toasted walnuts. The dish would provide a gourmet twist to any St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Marie suggests using the outside leaves of a loose head of Savoy cabbage, which is widely available in supermarkets. Or she suggests using pan di zuccero, or sugar loaf; it’s a type of Italian chicory sometimes found in farmers’ markets.
Marie first had the dish several years ago in Sicily. She was a guest at the estate of a famous cooking instructor. The stuffed cabbage accompanied a grilled fish.
“The tender cabbage leaves were loosely rolled around spoonfuls of delicate risotto,” Marie recalls. “I can clearly see the bright green leaves and feel the soft texture of the risotto rich with the taste of grated cheese.”
For this vegetarian recipe, the leaves are boiled a few minutes until tender. You then make the risotto, which is flavored with Parmigiano Reggiano, lemon zest and fresh thyme.
A spoonful of hot risotto is added to the lower half of each leaf along with a tablespoon of toasted walnuts. The leaf is folded and rolled over the risotto.
The leaves, which get a sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano, are accompanied by a tomato sauce. You can make Marie’s sauce, or use your own favorite sauce. The dish is baked in the oven until the leaves are tender and the cheese is bubbly and begins to brown.
You can also check out our earlier posts featuring Marie’s excellent oven-roasted fish that’s topped with an herb and citrus dressing, as well as her raw fennel salad.
Bon appétit,
Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch
