Stuffed Cabbage (Chou Farci)
Stuffed cabbage is a rustic French classic made with Savoy cabbage wrapped around a simple pork stuffing and gently cooked in broth. This traditional recipe from the Franche-Comté region is comforting, flavourful and easier than it looks.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium Savoy cabbage
Cabbage Stuffing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or butter)
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove peeled and finely chopped
- 750 g (1 lb 10 oz) Pork loin or shoulder minced
- 250 g (9oz) pork belly or bacon minced
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg or allspice
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves finely chopped
- 2 large eggs free-range/organic
Poaching Liquid
- 1.5 litres (3 pints) Chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 carrots peeled, cut into small slices
- 1 small turnip peeled, sliced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt & black pepper to taste
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
Instructions
Cabbage Stuffing
- Heat a little olive oil in the large cooking pot and gently sauté the chopped onion and garlic until translucent. Leave to cool.
- In a large bowl, stir together the minced meat with the sage, nutmeg, (adding salt and pepper to season) and stir in the cooled onion and garlic.
How to Stuff the Cabbage
- Cut off and discard the first tough outside leaves and cut off the bottom root. Remove all leaves, putting each of them together in order of size from each layer. This will make assembly so much quicker. Once you get to the inner yellow leaves, just leave them attached to the heart.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch the leaves for about 30 seconds (I take each layer and do 5 or 6 in batches) and remove with a slotted spoon. Blanch the cabbage heart for 2 minutes and set aside.
- Starting with the smallest leaves first, evenly spread (or press in with your fingers) a little stuffing on to each leaf facing upwards. Gradually put the remaining leaves back in place starting around the cabbage heart, sticking them around with the stuffing until the cabbage takes its original shape again. Tie 3 pieces of string firmly around to keep the cabbage round and in place.
- Place garlic cloves, carrots and turnip in a large pot with a lid. Top with the chicken stock, herbs and season with salt and pepper. Gently lower in the whole stuffed cabbage. As soon as the stock starts to boil, turn down the heat to simmering, cover and cook for at least 1 hour 30 minutes. A couple of times during cooking, pour over the stock on top of the cabbage.
- Carefully remove the cabbage by lifting the string. On a solid cutting board that can catch the juices, remove the string and using a sharp knife, slice into 6 portions. Serve directly in soup bowls with the cabbage and stock.
Notes
Serve and Storage: serve wedges in bowls with the juices and vegetables with lots of fresh crusty bread or potatoes. Seal any leftovers in an airtight container, and keep chilled in the refrigerator for 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Choosing the cabbage: A medium Savoy cabbage works best for stuffed cabbage. Very large cabbages can be difficult to manage when rebuilding and tying the cabbage, so you may need an extra pair of hands.
Stuffing substitutions: Pork can be replaced with minced beef or veal. As a short-cut, use 1 kg ready-made poultry or pork stuffing from a good butcher, which is common in France. If using sausages, simply remove the skins and use the filling.
Smoked pork variation: Replace pork belly or bacon (poitrine in French) with smoked bacon/pork belly to the stuffing for a deeper flavour - using smoked will require less salt.
Oven method: This can also be cooked in the oven. Place the cabbage in a covered casserole dish with the stock and vegetables and bake at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for about 1 hour 30 minutes, occasionally spooning the broth over the cabbage.
Individual cabbage parcels:
To make smaller stuffed cabbage parcels, stack 4 cabbage leaves, add stuffing and roll tightly. Tie with kitchen string and cook in the broth for 20–25 minutes.
To make smaller stuffed cabbage parcels, stack 4 cabbage leaves, add stuffing and roll tightly. Tie with kitchen string and cook in the broth for 20–25 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 549kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 46gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 176mgSodium: 1184mgPotassium: 1380mgFiber: 7gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 8426IUVitamin C: 54mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 3mg
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