Chef notes
No matter what else is on a menu, my husband will always order a stuffed cabbage if he sees it. There's something perfectly comforting about the silky heft of cabbage melding with the heartiness of meat and aided by the acidity of tomatoes. But you don't need a day of slow braising to get the same sensation. Cut the cabbage into pieces, use ground meat (I am partial to pork, but you can easily sub in beef), and add a zing with cider vinegar — you'll be all set for cold days in a matter of minutes.
Swap option: You can buy pre-cut cabbage if you really want to make it easier. You could also do this with ground beef or chicken if you prefer.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 small green cabbages
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
Preparation
1.In a large Dutch oven or wok on medium-high heat (but with more emphasis on the high), add the butter.
2.Chop up the cabbage and add it to the pan, along with the salt. Stir occasionally and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it starts to soften.
3.While the cabbage is cooking, chop the garlic. Throw it in and stir whenever you're done chopping.
4.Push the cabbage fully to the side of the pan and add the pork. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the pork browns on one side.
5.Break up the pork with a spatula and add the cider vinegar and the tomatoes. Stir everything together and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pork is just cooked through. Serve hot.
