Recipe: Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole

You can tell a good cabbage roll by its sauce. So it’s important that you know how delicious this one is. There’s all the tang you’d expect — that special bright and not-too-sweet flavor tomatoes and brown sugar bring. And then warmth from the cinnamon, which, when combined with tomatoes, adds a surprising savoriness that echoes throughout the dish.

Many of us recall fondly the stuffed cabbage rolls that our moms and grandmothers made, but are daunted by the task of making them. Others might remember them less fondly because the cook tended to boil the cabbage into gruesomeness with a lingering, um, scent.

Braising your cabbage fixes both problems. Instead of separating, blanching (perhaps over-cooking), and folding cabbage leaves around the stuffing, just cut a cabbage head into wedges and pop them in the oven to braise. The texture of the cabbage might surprise you. Instead of the wilted leaf, you’re left with a tender wedge that doesn’t entirely disappear with each forkful. In fact, in this instance, cabbage becomes an equal player in the dish.

Plunk the perfectly cooked wedges on plates, spoon the sauce over the top, and voila! You can serve it over rice (which is part of many stuffing recipes) or omit it to keep a lid on the carbs.

A standard green cabbage is fine for this recipe, but should you see any of the less common heirloom varieties, such as a Jersey Wakefield, at your store or winter farmers market, give them a go. Their flavor is exceptional and they hold their shape when cooked. Rather than round, these cabbages are tapered and conical, like a very large pine cone, and often are small enough to be the perfect portion for one or two people.