The Musette: vegan baked beans and cabbage

Posted in CookeryTagged , ,

While we’re in lockdown, I’m trying new recipes largely because I only want to shop once a week and partly to turn over my freezer and storecupboards. I’m always looking for dishes which I can adapt to serve both of us, otherwise I have to cook two separate meals.I love cooking but sometimes……………

At the end of the week I was left with this rather handsome, organic savoy caggage. I know I’d recently read somewhere about caramelised cabbage. Most likely because I like roasted and grilled cabbage, so really, what’s not to love about the idea of caramelisation?

And so, I tried it, but cabbage on its own isn’t enough. I need some protein, such as beans. This baked cabbage and butter beans in tomato is my rendition on the caramelized cabbage, made for a substantial lunch. Also, this is delightful reheated served on leftover grains, or with feta for my  beloved.

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • 1 small head savoy cabbage
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 fat garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 400g (1 cup) crushed tomatoes
  • 180ml (¾ cup) filtered water
  • 400g (1 cup) cooked white beans, drained (butter or cannellini)
  • 4 tbsp chopped flat-leafed parsley
  • Zest from one organic lemon
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas mark 4 (350ºF/320ºF fan).

2. Cut the cabbage in half and cut each half into quarters. Heat a large frying pan (skillet) over medium-high heat, place the cabbage in the hot pan and sear each side. Once seared, transfer to an oven-proof dish.

3. Add the tablespoon of olive oil followed by the minced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are transluscent, about 8 to 10 minutes or so. If your onions are starting to brown, reduce the heat. Once the onions are tender, add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.

4. Next, stir in the sherry and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, cumin and cook for a minute or two. Add in the crushed tomatoes, water, and beans. Stir and heat for a minute.

5. Cover the cooked cabbage with the tomato mixture, cover with aluminium foil (or lid)  and place the dish into the preheated oven. Cook the cabbage for about 35 to 45 minutes until the tomato mixture has thickened, and the cabbage is tender.

6. Finely chop the parsley and zest together and sprinkle on top.

Sheree’s Handy Hints

1. When cooking for myself, I try to limit the fat content. Feel free to brush the cabbage with olive oil before caramelisation.

2. I used a tin of Spanish butter beans but you could use any white bean, including chickpeas.

3. I scattered feta cheese and chopped fresh thyme atop my beloved’s portion but equally I could have served it with some bacon or a pork chop.

39 thoughts on “The Musette: vegan baked beans and cabbage”

  1. That looks tasty. It’s funny how we can make do with what we have on hand, yet head to the shops because “we have nothing at home”. This whole situation is forcing us to gear down and be more resourceful – which might be one of the only positives to come of it. Enjoy your evening!

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. Thanks Marla. I often feel my best ie tastiest dishes come when I only have a few ingredients to hand and have to make do. Have a great evening too.

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  6. This Coronavirus thingy has got many of us eating less and remembering how our parents cooked …… and survived. My mother was big on stews, pasties and soups. Each week, every 4 days, we make a pan of soup that we divide into 4 tubs of two helpings. Everything starts with frying some onions, then it becomes leek and potato, or carrot and coriander, or a complete mixture of whatever veg are in the fridge. Four days worth of lunches later, repeat. Thanks mum!

    Liked by 2 people

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  12. I must say that cabbage is a veg I wouldn’t usually think about buying and I would never in a million years have thought about cooking it this way, it looks great. Yes, the quarantine thing is leading to some inventive cooking but, as a single man, I am used to inventing things with a very few storecupboard ingredients.

    I am definitely with the Doc on the soup idea, I’ll make soup out of just about anything although my minute freezer compartment means that it has to be done fresh every time. Still, that’s not a bad thing and I certainly have nothing much else to do at present.

    Keep ’em coming.

    Liked by 2 people

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  17. Kudos to you for this amazing recipe! This lockdown , if not anything , is definitely making all of us indulge in some kind of positive hobbies and work. I recently started learning how to cook too! One funny thing though, when you have limited resources , sometimes things turn out to be even better than when we had like a thousand different resources on hand😃
    Thank you for sharing this recipe and stay safe and blessed!!💙

    Liked by 4 people

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  18. I’ve never paid attention to the handsomeness of cabbage, but yours indeed was. I used a head of butter lettuce last week, and it was almost to beautiful to chop. I photographed it instead and chopped away. Your end results look divine.

    Liked by 1 person

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