The Comfort of Cabbage
Much to the delight of my budget and the reality of year-round menu planning in the subarctic, I am not one who gets sick of cabbage. Sure, sometimes I long for seriously leafy kale and bitter chicori...
This robust yet simple, small-batch vegetarian stew was invented from pantry staples while I was house and husky-sitting for dear friends just south of Denali Park a couple of winters ago.
It’s a rustic, two-step recipe that starts in the oven, where you add depth to the flavor of a simple can of tomatoes with a bit of garlic and a few pantry-friendly herbs.
Next, it simmers away on the stovetop with three more Northern kitchen staples: canned beans, a potato, and the humble yet requisite cabbage, where it all comes together to answer the call of comfort on a chilly still-winter day.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: Makes about 4 servings
- 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 14-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ small Savoy or Napa cabbage, roughly cut
- 1 potato, peeled and diced
- Salt and pepper, freshly ground
- Extra virgin olive oil
- White wine, water, or stock for deglazing
- 2½−3 cups additional water or stock
- Fresh parsley, basil, and chili flakes, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Drizzle a casserole dish with a little extra virgin olive oil. Add the canned tomatoes, fennel seeds, rosemary, onion powder, thyme, red chili flakes, onion powder and 2 cloves of peeled garlic, first firmly smashed with a knife. Roast the tomato mixture in the oven for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, and keeping the garlic fairly submerged to avoid burning. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and let it come to room temperature.
Once the roasted base has cooled a bit, sauté another clove of minced garlic in some extra virgin olive oil in a medium or large soup pot until lightly golden. Lower heat and deglaze with a quick pour of white wine, water, or stock. Carefully pour in the roasted tomato-garlic-herb mixture, along with 2½−3 cups of water or stock, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a bit of freshly ground black pepper. Use an immersion blender to briefly blend, if desired.
Add the potato and cabbage and bring to a boil. Let simmer on low for 30−35 minutes, mostly covered, stirring occasionally. This is the time for even more flavors to meld, and for the potatoes to cook through.
Stir in the rinsed and drained white beans and cook for another 10 minutes to soften. Add more water or broth by the ½ cup as needed to obtain your desired consistency. Finish with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in soup bowls. Garnish with fresh herbs, if you have them, and maybe another pinch of chili flakes for a bit more heat if you want it.
Serve with crusty bread and the biggest soup spoon in your inventory.
First published in the Winter 2024 issue of Edible Alaska.
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