Savoy cabbage and beef gratin

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 600 g beef, from the leg
• 50 g onion(s)
• 40 g carrot(s)
• 30 g celery
• 30 g leek
• 150 g tomato(s), alternatively 3 tbsp Pizza tomatoes from the can
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 250 ml beef broth (beef broth)
• Salt and pepper, from the mill
• 1 sprig(s) of thyme
• 1 sprig(s) rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 60 g bacon, streaky
• 80 g onion(s)
• 1 head of savoy cabbage, small, it should be 700g after cleaning and without stalk
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 100 ml vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper, from the mill
• Nutmeg, freshly grated
• 80 g Tilsiter, freshly grated, or another strong cheese
• 200 g sour cream, creme frâich or sour cream
• 1 tbsp chives or parsley

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Remove skin and tendons from the meat and cut into 1.5 cm cubes. Peel and finely chop the onions. Clean the carrots and celery and finely dice or chop. Clean the leeks and cut them into rings. Rinse the tomatoes thoroughly under running water to remove any sand. Blanch the tomatoes, skin them, remove the stems and seeds, and dice the flesh. Heat oil in a pan or large pot and brown the meat on all sides. Fry the vegetables for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for a while, being careful not to burn it, as otherwise it will taste bitter. Pour in the beef stock, season with salt and pepper. Add the herbs, cover the pan or pot, and simmer the meat for 45 minutes over low heat. For the savoy cabbage, dice the bacon and onions. Quarter the savoy cabbage, remove the stalk, and finely slice the cabbage. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the bacon and onion cubes until translucent. Gradually add the savoy cabbage, cook briefly, turning frequently. Pour in the vegetable stock. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cover the pan and sauté the cabbage for 15 minutes until softened. Grate the cheese and mix with the sour cream. Place half of the savoy cabbage in a greased casserole dish, spread the ragout on top, and cover with the remaining savoy cabbage. Cover the surface evenly with the cheese and cream mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chives or parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes and a cold beer. TIP: You can also use pork leg instead of beef. The dish is particularly sophisticated if you use venison or roe deer leg. Then deglaze the meat with game stock and a little red wine. The gratin is very easy to prepare.