Oven-braised fresh cabbage

Name: Oven-braised fresh cabbage
Ingredients: 2 medium heads of cabbage (2 kg); 4 tablespoons oil; 1 large red bell pepper (180 g); 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 2 bay leaves; 1 teaspoon paprika; 200 ml warm water; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper; 30 g fresh dill

Season - Oven-braised fresh cabbage by stefania H. - Recipia

Oven-braised fresh cabbage softens on the stovetop, then bakes until the edges develop a golden crust. Red pepper, thyme and tomato paste give this Lenten cabbage dish soft leaves in the middle and browned edges. I like to leave the cabbage strands a little wider, so they still look like cabbage after softening. Preparation: 20 minutes. Cooking: 65 minutes. Total time: 85 minutes. Serves: 6. About 180 kcal and 5 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

2 medium heads of cabbage (2 kg)
4 tablespoons oil
1 large red bell pepper (180 g)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
200 ml warm water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
30 g fresh dill

Preparation

1. Remove the wilted leaves and shred the cabbage. Cut the red pepper into strips. Heat the oven to 180-190 °C, with the clay pot inside. 2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the cabbage in batches. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring, until it softens and reduces in volume. 3. Add the pepper, thyme, bay leaves, paprika and warm water. Stir and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes, until the cabbage is almost tender. 4. Add the tomato paste, salt and pepper. Transfer the cabbage to the heated clay pot and bake for 30 minutes, until very tender and lightly browned on top. 5. Chop the dill and sprinkle it over the cabbage at the end.

Notes

With polenta on the side, the cabbage makes a meal on its own. You can replace the 30 g fresh dill with 1 teaspoon dried dill and sprinkle it over the cabbage after baking. It keeps in the fridge in a closed container for up to 3 days. I start about an hour and a half before the meal and don't rush the cabbage as it softens in the saucepan. Choose heavy heads with tightly packed leaves. If they're very large and dense, the cabbage may need a few extra minutes on the stovetop.