Archived Arts & Entertainment

Recipes, 3/25/09

Cabbage Rolls Stuffed with Corned Beef with Spicy Creole Sauce

• 1 large head green cabbage

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 celery ribs, sliced

• 2 cloves (or more, if you like) of garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 cups of diced or ground corned beef—I bake a spicy corned beef brisket a day or two before or if you want a short cut you can use 1 (15-oz.) can corned beef hash

Related Items

• ? cup catsup with a dash or two of tabasco (or your favorite) hot sauce

• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 1 beaten egg

• Yield: 6 servings

Separate 12 large outer leaves from the cabbage head. Set aside the remaining cabbage head. Remove the center vein from each leaf so it becomes more pliable. Soften the cabbage leaves in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon; set aside until cool enough to handle.

Chop 1 cup of cabbage from the remaining cabbage head. Save any leftover cabbage to use in a stir-fry dish to serve with the meal. Cook and stir the chopped cabbage, onion, garlic and celery in oil over medium heat in a medium nonstick skillet until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the diced corned beef , breaking it up with a spoon. Mix gently. Heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup catsup and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Cool slightly. When the mixture is cooled, add a beaten egg to help bind the ingredients.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the corned beef mixture onto each cabbage leaf. Roll, tucking in the ends. Arrange cabbage rolls, seam side down, in a shallow baking dish. Pour Creole sauce over the cabbage rolls. Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for about 25 minutes, until heated through. To serve, spoon Creole sauce over cabbage rolls. Sprinkle with parsley.

Tip: Stuff the cabbage leaves the night before, then simply bake them for an easy St. Patrick’s Day dinner. The Creole sauce can be made well ahead of time and frozen. Just thaw and spoon over the cabbage rolls.

 

Spicy Creole Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• 2-3 large garlic cloves, minced

• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 2 cups vegetable stock

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon white pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme hot sauce, to taste

• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

• salt, to taste

• black pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

In a medium size saucepan, over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the chopped onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic cooking until slightly wilted. Add the tomatoes and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Add about 1 1/2 cups stock, taking care not to add too much. You can always add more if needed. Add the seasonings, bay leaves, hot sauce and worchestershire sauce; stir and reduce heat to simmer.

Mix the cornstarch with equal amounts of water and stir 1 tablespoon of mixture into sauce. Allow to cook for a few minutes, stir and add additional water/cornstarch mixture if the sauce looks thin or add additional stock if sauce is too thick. Simmer about 20 minutes adding additional stock as necessary. The last 10 minutes of cooking time, stir in the parsley and green onions. Remove bay leaves, taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Use the sauce to make your favorite recipe for shrimp creole, etc. This sauce can be frozen in a sturdy container and thawed in refrigerator before reheating and using.

 

Mashed Potatoes with leeks and horseradish

• Potatoes, peeled and quartered

• 3 leeks, sliced

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided

• ground black pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup sour cream or buttermilk

• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

• 2 teaspoons minced parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and leeks and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and mash with 1 tablespoon butter and black pepper. Stir in sour cream, horseradish and parsley. Whip potatoes and place in medium serving bowl.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter and pour over potatoes. Garnish with parsley springs. Serve immediately.

 

Irish Soda Bread

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/3 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 2 cups buttermilk

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.

 

Pistachio Cake with Lovely Green Icing

• 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant pistachio pudding mix

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix

• 5 eggs

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 1 1/2 cups milk

• 2 (1.5 ounce) envelopes instant dessert topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, 1 package pudding, water, eggs, and oil. Pour into a greased and floured Bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175) degrees C for 45 minutes, or until done. Allow to cool.

To Make Frosting: In a mixing bowl, combine 1 package instant pudding, milk, and instant whipped topping mix. Beat until thick, and spread on the cooled cake.

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