Kapusta

every year the Bigneys celebrate Christmas eve by preparing a Ukrainian feast of some of my favorite things to eat. there is usually baked Orange Roughy or some type of fish, and fried Cabbage known as Kapusta. the Kapusta is then used to fill homemade pierogi types which are called Venereki. there is also a delicious potato/cheese filling that is used to stuff the Venereki. there is a baked cabbage roll with pork called Holubtsi which i have not made on my own as of yet. there are other things too, like rubber duckies, which i believe is cooked Barley. my brother in law, Alex, always makes an exquisite pot of Borscht. i never really cared for beets until one eve when that beet and dill flavor had me yearning for more. he lived in Russia for a few years and really knows the secret to making this soup.

again, every year this is a family tradition that i love to be apart of, even though i am not Ukrainian. i've come to the understanding that there are family members who do not have these recipes and every year i hear how these members of the family wish they knew how to make these dishes. the food is just too good not to share with you, so here is the first recipe of many to come.

Kapusta. i've learned to make this watching my father in law and have obtained the recipe from him, as well. enjoy.

things you'll need:

large head of cabbage
1 quart of fresh, high quality sauerkraut, drained
a large onion ( i personally like to use more)
a few stalks of celery
optional- 1/2 lb pork loin or salt pork, give or take ( i prefer the loin)
1/4 lb butter
honey
cinnamon
salt and pepper
large chef knife
food processor
large pan and buttered baking dish ( i like to use cast iron)

before getting started, i enjoy a cup of coffee with Stevia. i like to make the Kapusta in the morning and refrigerate for later, so this is something you can definitely make in advance and/or freeze.

first, by using a nice chef knife or food processor, chop cabbage, onion, celery. these items will cook down greatly, so i chop rather thick. make sure to core the cabbage first.

second, you will need to grind the pork if you choose to use it. i love the texture it gives the whole meal. i like to use my processor for this step. chop the loin or salt pork into pieces. this will ensure a better grind.

after you have ground the pork, you are going to place your pan on the stove and set at medium heat. i like to use a cast iron wok, but any large frying pan will work nice. after your pan is warm, add a few tablespoons of butter, then add ground pork. cook pork till just beginning to brown. there is no need to over cook as it will have hours to bake in the oven as well. set pork aside.

 add another few tablespoons of butter to your pan and add your chopped onions and celery. you will cook the onions and celery till they are nice and brown, caramelized. go ahead and turn up the heat a bit to do this.

next, you are going to add your cabbage and kraut to the pan. you want to wilt and cook the cabbage till it too, is nice and browned. 

after the cabbage and kraut have been integrated and are nice and browned, it should look like this.

preheat your oven to 350 degrees. now is the time to transfer the cabbage/ kraut mix into your baking pan. add your ground pork and mix well. then, i like to start by adding 1 tablespoon of honey, making sure to mix well. then you will add 1 tablespoon cinnamon. again, making sure to integrate the spice into all of the cabbage/kraut mix. add salt and pepper to taste, although i don't think i have ever added salt. the kraut and pork add just the right amount of saltiness, if you ask me. taste it. add more honey, cinnamon as you see fit. my father in law says that baba would generally taste and add as it cooked, as to get that right mix of flavor. after you are pleased with the flavor, pop it into the oven uncovered. let it bake for a few hours, as this will add the rich carmalization that makes this dish so good. take it out every half hour or so to turn and re-taste. the top layer will caramelize, and it is important to keep turning the cabbage to evenly cook. after a few hours it will turn caramel and rich in color. i usually end up cooking mine for about 2 hours. 

 

this is how it will look when it is ready to eat, or ready to turn into Vereneki. whatever you choose to do, this is one very delicious dish. let it cool and freeze it, if you'd like. if eating alone, add a dollop of soured cream and enjoy! i like to make this all through the year, and maybe bake a fillet of fish to go with.

 please look forward to my next post on making the fresh pasta and sauce for Venereki.

please feel free to comment and tell me what you think. if i have forgotten something or you'd like to add to, please do.