Mushroom and Potato cabbage rolls with charred lemon salsa

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

12 savoy cabbage leaves from 1 small head cabbage + (1/2 the head, chopped, about 1.5 cups)

1/2 onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small leek, chopped

1 tbls picked thyme leaves

150g chopped mushroom 

2 small potatoes approx 220-250g

2 Tbls tomato paste

1/4 tsp. Ground allspice

Olive oil

1 egg 

Method:

Take the large outer leaves off the head of cabbage if you can get them off without snapping them and give them a wash. (If your head doesn’t have “outer leaves” that hang off the head, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Carefully cut the core from the head of cabbage and drop the whole head into the pot. Boil for 30 seconds and then lift it out while pulling off one leaf at a time.  Keep dunking until you have about 12 leaves. Then take the remaining head out of the water and let it cool and continue to follow recipe).

Add your washed potatoes to a large pot of water and season it. Bring it to a boil.  When the water is boiling, dunk the cabbage leaves in to cook for 2-3 mins. Remove the cabbage leaves and set them aside to cool.  Keep cooking potatoes until they are completely tender and can be easily pierced with the edge of a knife, then remove them from the pot and set aside to cool.  Discard the water. Trim off any really thick piece of cabbage “rib” using a small pairing knife, set aside while you make the filling.

Sauté the onion, garlic, leek, carrot in 3 tbls olive oil over medium heat in a wide sauté pan. Add a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes.  Next, add in the mushrooms, thyme and chopped cabbage and cook a further 10 minutes.  Add in the tomato paste and allspice and cook one more minute then turn the stove off.  Peel and crush potatoes  with a fork and put them in a bowl.  Add the mushroom/cabbage mix, but keep the pan near, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and black pepper.  Then, add in one egg.  Mix to combine.  

Add 150ml of water to the pan to deglaze, then strain this liquid and set aside.

Fill each cabbage leaf up with a heaped spoonful of the stuffing and roll them up tight.  Place into a greased baking dish where they fit snuggly.  Pour the reserved liquid into the pan with the cabbage and cover tightly with baking paper and foil.  Bake for 40 mins at 180C then uncover, raise temp to 200C and bake a further 15-20 mins. to brown the tops. Remove from oven and serve with grilled lemon salsa. 

Grilled lemon salsa

Ingredients:

1 lemon

25g picked herb leaves (parsley, oregano, mint)

12g rinsed, salted capers, chopped

70ml Olive oil

1 large garlic clove (5-6g)

Salt

Pinch chili flakes (optional) 

Method:

Slice the lemon thinly and drizzle with EVOO and a sprinkle of salt.  Roast in a 200C for 15-18 mins (this can be done in the same oven when the cabbage rolls are browning) and finish under the broiler for a minute or two if more colour needed.  Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

While the lemon is cooking, pound the oregano, garlic and a pinch of salt in the mortar and pestle. Scoop this out and place into a bowl with the remaining chopped herbs, chopped capers and the EVOO.  Set aside.  Add chili flake if desired. 

Chop the lemon and mix with remaining salsa ingredients.  Save any excess in the refrigerator.