I’m well aware this isn’t the prettiest dish I’ve ever posted here. In fact, you’re probably navigating away from this screen right now. But before you do, consider this: you must have a favourite ugly dish or ingredient, right? Something you love eating but would never blog about or serve to company, due to its less-than-lovely appearance?
Well, cabbage is my aesthetically-guilty pleasure. Sure its pretty when raw: all green and crinkly and wrapped up like a present, but it tends to lose something on the cooking. Unless you’re simply boiling and buttering it (fantastic as a side, I recommend it), cooked cabbage can often look pale, limp and unappetizing, however delicious it may be. Case in point: I’ve bought cabbage at the market, oh, umpteen times since I started this blog, but only posted a recipe containing it once. (What, you can’t see the cabbage in that dish? Funny, that.)
But this dish, unattractive as it is, was so good that I couldn’t not share. Straight out of my favourite cookbook, this recipe is far greater than the sum of its parts. In truth, I only chose it because it contained two things I’d bought at the market last weekend(cabbage and tomatoes), and therefore seemed economical. But as soon as I began to cook it, with its delicious scent wafting about the kitchen, I knew I was on to a winner.
A straightforward sautée of Savoy cabbage and fresh tomatoes, this dish is flavoured with whole cumin seeds and made deliciously rich with sour cream. Mark claims its origins are in Russia, but no amount of Googling could verify this. (If any Russian foodies are reading this, help me out! Is this authentic at all, or is Mark pulling our collective leg?)
I lunched on a small bowl of this as-is, but I bet it would go well with brown rice, or as a side to some meat. I won’t hold it against you if you opt not to serve this dish at your next dinner party, but please, just try it. After all, ugly food needs love too.
Russian Cabbage with Tomatoes and Sour Cream
adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
serves 2; easily doubled
- 1 Tbs. butter
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 an onion, chopped finely
- 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
- 3 cups shredded Savoy cabbage (about 1/4 of a large head, 1/2 of a smaller one)
- 1/3 cup stock or water
- 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- sea salt and black pepper
- Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan that has a lid, over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and cook for another minute.
- Add the shredded cabbage and cook for a few minutes until it begins to brown. Add the stock, cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes or so, until the cabbage is tender.
- Remove the lid, turn up the heat slightly and add the chopped tomatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt. Cook, stirring frequently for another 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes have completely broken down and become sauce-like.
- Add the sour cream and heat through for a minute or two, stirring near constantly. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.
