Cabbage is a perfect winter vegetable that is available during the coldest months of the year, from September to May, its peak being the harsh winter.
Cabbage belongs to the cruciferous family, which is composed, among others, of broccoli and cauliflower.
The tradition of cabbage in Christmas recipes has been linked to it since Egyptian times, like its famous Mahasy cabbage recipe.
We share two very typical recipes that are made at Christmas with this product.

Cabbage recipes for your Christmas meals

Sarma (cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice)
• 1 medium cabbage
• 1 kg of minced beef or lamb
• 400 g. of washed rice
• 1 cup (50g.) of olive oil
• The juice of 2 freshly squeezed lemons
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1 head of garlic (half crushed, half whole peeled or unpeeled).

Preparation

Cover the cabbage in plenty of boiling water to separate the leaves and blanch until soft and pliable, submerge in cold water and drain. While in a large bowl, mix together the meat, rice, half the olive oil, cinnamon, crushed garlic, salt, and black pepper. Place the leaves on a work surface, cut into pieces (depending on the size of the leaves), separate the thick part and reserve. Spread a tablespoon of the filling mixture onto one end of each sheet piece into a cylindrical shape, fold in the bottom, crease the sides, then roll the sheet up tightly and repeat the process with the remaining sheets. Place the thick parts of the leaves in the bottom of a casserole, add the rest of the whole or peeled garlic and place the rolls on top. Add the rest of the olive oil, the lemon juice and the mint. Cover with hot water and salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 80 minutes or more until the leaves are tender. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Invert the casserole on a round tray, and serve the leaves hot, accompanied by salad, creamy yogurt sauce, cucumber salad with yogurt or lemon juice.

Grilled Pointed Cabbage with Asian pesto

Pointed cabbage develops a delicious smoky flavor when prepared directly on a hot barbecue. The outer leaves are roasted, but these protect the underlying leaves, which are tender by this method of cooking. Combined with the Asian pesto, you have a delicious vegetarian barbecue dish.

Preparation

• Light the barbecue and once the strongest flames have subsided, you can immediately place the pointed cabbage on the grill. Leave it on the grill for an hour. While the outside may
appear black, the inside will be cooked to perfection.
• Meanwhile, make the Asian pesto. Combine all the pesto ingredients in the blender and blend briefly, so that the fresh herbs are fine, but the peanuts are still coarse.
• Remove the pointed cabbage from the heat and remove the blackened outer leaves. If the next few leaves aren’t burnt, but are a bit dark, you can leave them on as they add flavor.
Cut the pointed cabbage into four pieces, serve it on a platter with the pesto. Sprinkle it with
some chopped peanuts.

Enjoy this Christmas cooking healthy and tasty dishes with your family