Gingered Butternut Squash Stuffed Cabbage
Butternut Squash has become available nearly year round, and it is one of my favorite winter squashes. It adds viscosity and texture to soups and stews, is great roasted, and is unbelievably good in this stuffed cabbage recipe! On top of that, it is low in calories and packed with nutrients.
In this recipe, it accompanies ginger braised cabbage as the filling in a stuffed cabbage. I use savoy cabbage because I think it is more pliable after blanching, and therefore allows you to make a neater more uniform stuffed cabbage. What really makes this stuffed cabbage incredible though, is the saffron and cardamom laced coconut sauce that it is ultimately braised in.
Is this recipe challenging? No, but it does take a little time to prepare to build the delicious layers of flavor. However, once you taste it you will agree that it is time well spent!
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 clove garlic, crushed
- 3 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cup diced tomato (If using canned tomato, drain well)
- 6 cup diced cabbage
- 12 Each cabbage leaves
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cup diced butternut squash (I use the "neck portion" for the filling and the "seed portion for the sauce. The diced squash for the filling should be 1/2 to 1/4 inch dice.)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 Each green cardamom pods
- 1/2 tsp crushed saffron threads
- 3 cup diced butternut squash (I use the "seed" portion of the squash for the sauce.)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 14 oz unsweetened coconut milk
Blanch coarse diced squash in boiling, salted water until tender, drain.
Heat olive oil on medium heat in saute' pan.
Add cardamom pods and cook for several seconds, stirring to coat with oil.
Add coconut milk and simmer on low for 5 minutes, cool slightly.
Place coconut milk mixture into a blender, pulse for several seconds, and strain.
Return strained coconut milk to saute' pan, add drained butternut squash and saffron, bring to simmer.
Simmer and reduce until squash cooks down and thicken coconut milk.
Return mixture to blender and puree.
Adjust seasoning and set aside until ready for use.
- To prepare dressing
Peel and deseed butternut squash. Dice the "seed" side coarsely and set aside. Dice the "neck" side neatly in 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice.
Core cabbage and carefully remove 12 to 14 outer leaves so that they do not tear. Blanch cabbage leaves in boiling, salted water until pliable. Do not overcook. Shock in cold water and set aside.
Dice remaining cabbage finely.
Heat an 8 quart stock pot on medium heat and add olive oil.
Saute' garlic and ginger until fragrant, add tomato and continue to saute'.
Add cabbage and stir well, reduce heat to medium and cover cabbage and allow to sweat until tender.
When cabbage is tender and translucent, add diced squash, cayenne, and salt, and continue to cook uncovered until squash is slightly tender. Squash should be firm enough to retain its shape when the filling is formed to be placed in cabbage.
Drain cooked cabbage and squash mixture in a colander until well drained. Return the liquid to the stockpot and simmer and reduce until caramelized and thick. Remove stockpot from heat and add cabbage mixture back into pot, stirring to coat. Allow to cool.
When filling is cool enough to handle, layout cabbage leaves on work surface and flatten.
Divide filling equally, forming into loosely packed balls and place on stem side of cabbage leaf.
Fold stem side down to cover filling.
Fold ends over neatly flattening "tail"
Fold tail over and place seam side down into baking dish.
Pour coconut sauce over stuffed cabbages and cover with parchment and foil.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 60 minutes.