Finnish Cabbage Casserole

Cabbage Casserole (Kaalilaatikko in Finnish) is a traditional Finnish dish that is fairly simple to make and can be done in large quantities and frozen for future meals. Like many Traditional Finnish dishes, every family has their own version and way of making and serving it. My take on it comes from making it at work and also from Tanja's version. It is highly nutritional and very filling, a great winter dish. Also it can be made the night before (most Finns say it tastes better left overnight in the fridge). It is normally served with Lingonberry Jam, but you can serve it with cranberry or, as my wife likes to, with cottage cheese

So to make a portion that will serve 8 people (or do 4 meals for a couple), you will need to have:-

1.25 kilos Cabbage
500g mince (I used beef-pork mince)
300g rice (Easy cook is best in my opinion for this dish)
1 onion, diced
2 medium carrots, grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 litre of beef stock
3 tbsp Dark Syrup (Treacle)
salt and pepper¨
Lingonberry (or other savoury jam) or Cottage Cheese to serve

Firstly heat you oven to 180oC. Then in a pan, add a tiny bit of oil and fry your onion and cabbage, you want to cook it until the cabbage is al dente (has a bite but still edible), then put it in a large bowl. Return the pan to the heat and add the mince and garlic, brown the mince then add to the bowl. Add seasoning, carrots, rice and the syrup, mixing it thoroughly. Add to a large casserole dish, add half the beef stock and put into the oven.

Cook for 20 minutes and then stir, adding the other half of the stock. It is very important not to let the stock run out as it will turn your cabbage bitter. Cook for a future 20 minutes. The rice will have soaked up all the stock and other juices and become edible. Serve straight away, goes great with fresh bread and butter, or allow to cool down and put in fridge.

If you are going to leave it overnight, do as above then when you want to reheat, add about 200ml of water and put in a preheated 180oC oven for 10/15 minutes.

I hope you will love this Finnish one-pot, I know I do. The syrup gives it a nice sweet under current, mixing well with the savouries.