Norwegian Christmas Cabbage Recipes

NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS CABBAGE

Steps:

• Lay two slices of bacon across the bottom of a large pot.
• Cover with a layer of cabbage.
• Sprinkle a light dusting of flour and a pinch of caraway seed.
• Season with a little salt and pepper.
• Repeat layering as many times as possible until you run out of room.
• Fill the pot with enough water to come about 3/4 up the side.
• Bring to a boil, and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the cabbage is soft, stirring occasionally.
• Let cool slightly, then stir in the vinegar and sugar.
• Use your own judgment. Add sugar carefully to taste. The idea is to strike a balance between the sweet and the sour, and therein lies the trick.
• Note:.
• Use a head of cabbage that has been in your refrigerator a while; try not to use a new cabbage. Why? The old one seems to hold up better in the cooking. Age has its rewards.
• A tasty sausage, sliced, or smoked pork hock can also substitute for the bacon, but there ought to be some flavor and fat in it. I sometimes add a couple of bouillon cubes too.

NORWEGIAN CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking pan.
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer onion to a large mixing bowl and add beef, cooked rice, cream, egg, parsley, potato starch, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, caraway seeds, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix to combine in an even consistency and refrigerate filling until needed.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Place 1 head of cabbage in the boiling water and parboil until bright green and leaves are softened, about 2 minutes. Carefully remove cabbage with tongs or a large fork. Repeat with remaining head of cabbage. Allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
• Remove outer leaves from the cooled cabbage. Lay 1 leaf flat on a work surface and cut out the stem. Spoon a generous 2 tablespoons of filling into the center of the leaf. Fold the corners at the stem end diagonally over the filling, fold the sides over, and roll up like a tiny burrito. Place in the prepared baking pan. Repeat to make remaining cabbage rolls until filling is used up.
• Add water to the baking pan until it is halfway up the sides of the cabbage rolls.
• Bake in the preheated oven until beef is cooked through and no longer pink, about 40 minutes.