Whole Stuffed Cabbage

  

Wrapping cabbage leaves around a delectable filling creates a final presentation that appears like a complete cabbage in this spectacular vegetarian dinner.

 

2 small heads of Savoy cabbage

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

3/4 cup unsalted butter  divided

1 medium-sized yellow onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 (4-ounce) sleeve of saltine crackers, coarsely crushed

2 large eggs

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese divided

2 rosemary sprigs

2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar

 

A big pot of water should be brought to a boil. Meanwhile, remove and discard the bottom core and stem of each cabbage using a sharp knife. Peel away the outer leaves from each cabbage, separating the leaves from the core with a paring knife, till you have between ten and twelve leaves total; retain cabbage hearts. If there is dirt in the leaves, quickly rinse them. Fill a big basin halfway with cold water and leave aside. Cook until softened and flexible, approximately two to three minutes, in boiling water with cabbage leaves and two teaspoons of salt. Turn off the heat. Remove the leaves from the boiling water with tongs and place them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Transfer the leaves to a dish or baking sheet lined with a clean cloth to dry. Reserved cabbage hearts, thinly shredded to make roughly Six cups; store leftover cabbage for later use. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt half a cup of butter. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is transparent, approximately two minutes. Add the shredded cabbage and the remaining one teaspoon of salt; simmer, turning periodically, for approximately ten minutes, or until the cabbage softens. Add the thyme, parsley, crushed pepper, and allspice and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and set aside for five minutes for it to cool somewhat. Mix in the crumbled crackers, eggs, and half a cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano until well blended. Do not mix too much to maintain the cracker crumbs' distinct sizes.

Cover a medium bowl with a lint-free linen towel or two layers of cheesecloth, hanging several inches over the bowl's edges. Start laying the cabbage leaves in the bottom of the bowl with the tops of the leaves pointing toward the bottom of the bowl, piling them so that the bottom stem ends dangle over the lip of the dish. Begin with deeper green leaves on the bottom of the cabbage, as this will serve as the display side. Continue piling the leaves till all of them are utilized.

Press down and shape the shredded cabbage-cracker filling into a ball in the middle of the piled cabbage leaves in the bowl. Wrap the leaves over the top of the filling, moving up and around it to cover it. Pull the towel or cheesecloth sides upward and twist, squeezing to form a firm ball. Make a knot with the extra towel or cheesecloth. As an alternative, use kitchen twine to fasten and knot. If you wish to make the cabbage ahead of time, make it up to this point, and put it in the refrigerator for a maximum of eight hours or overnight.

Bring the cabbage boiling liquid back to a boil. Boil the knotted cabbage for fifteen minutes in boiling water. Transfer cabbage from water to a strainer or kitchen towel with tongs; set aside to cool for five minutes.

Prepare the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the remaining one-fourth of the butter in a round or oval baking dish, a cast-iron skillet, or a high-sided 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Untie the cabbage and take it from the towel; lay it, seam side down, in a baking dish. Roast for forty minutes at a time, basting with butter in a baking dish every ten minutes, until the cabbage has begun to turn golden and crispy. Take the pan out of the oven. Place rosemary sprigs on top of cabbage and baste once more to cover with butter. Return to the oven and roast at 375°F for a further ten minutes or until the rosemary begins to color and crisp. Remove from oven and spread the browned butter from the baking dish on top. Two tablespoons of the leftover cabbage   Parmigiano-Reggiano. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Cut the cabbage into wedges. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar equally and enjoy.