Stuffed savoy cabbage with mashed potatoes

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 20 g porcini mushrooms, dried
• 250 ml water, lukewarm
• 2 rolls, stale
• 1 head of savoy cabbage, approx. 1 kg
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 100 g bacon, streaky
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 bunch parsley, flat
• 500 g minced beef
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 eggs
• 500 ml vegetable stock
• 200 ml cream
• 1 shot of wine
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 kg potatoes, floury
• 500 ml milk
• 3 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• Paprika powder, sweet
• Nutmeg, grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour

A hearty and refined winter dish where the whole head of cabbage is served

Soak the mushrooms in a small bowl in 125 ml of lukewarm water. Soak the bread rolls in the remaining 125 ml of water. Remove any damaged outer leaves from the savoy cabbage. Make a cross-shaped cut in the stalk. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. The pot must be large enough to fit the entire head of cabbage and allow it to be turned. Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove, rinse with cold water, drain on a clean towel, and let cool. You will need the pot again later. Peel and finely dice the onions and garlic. Dice the bacon. Wash and finely chop the parsley. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Brown half of the diced bacon, then add the garlic and onions and fry until translucent. Stir the parsley into the mixture. Remove half of the mushrooms from the water and let them drain. Squeeze the bread rolls firmly. Place the minced meat in a large bowl. Stir in half of the mushrooms, the bread rolls, the bacon and onion mixture, tomato paste, and the eggs (by hand or using the dough hook on a hand mixer). Season the mixture generously with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. When the cabbage has cooled, carefully peel off the leaves one by one from the outside in, leaving them attached to the stalk. The cabbage will then resemble a large flower. Gently press the leaves flat again and again to keep them at the bottom. The center of the cabbage will usually remain intact, as it will still be too hard. Spoon the minced meat mixture between the cabbage leaves from the inside out, pressing it down as far as possible toward the stalk. Enclose each layer of minced meat by folding up the cabbage leaves. Then add the next layer of minced meat until the mixture is used up. Do not fill the two outer layers of leaves; just fold them up. Carefully press the filled cabbage together and tie it in a star shape with kitchen string. It doesn’t hurt to have some help, but you can do it alone. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot, add the second half of the bacon, and brown it along with the cabbage. Briefly brown the cabbage on all sides. Deglaze with the vegetable stock and a splash of wine. Add the other half of the mushrooms, along with the soaking water. Braise the cabbage in a covered pot over medium heat for about 90 minutes, adding more stock if necessary. Cook the potatoes in their skins until tender, then peel them. Heat the milk and gradually add it to the potatoes while mashing them with a potato masher. Stir in the butter. Season the mash with salt and nutmeg and keep warm. Remove the cabbage from the pot and remove the kitchen string. Then cut the cabbage into portions with a sharp knife. Boil the pan juices with the cream. Mix the cornstarch with a little water until smooth, and then whisk into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Arrange the stuffed cabbage on serving plates with mashed potatoes and sauce.