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Spiced Cabbage Rice from Thrace

This is a great vegan or vegetarian main course, originally from the northern Greek province of Thrace, where the food is a little spicier than it is elsewhere in Greece. You can also serve this as a side dish for grilled meat, chicken, and game. It's great with duck and it's even great with Thanksgiving turkey.
Course entree
Cuisine Greek cuisine, Mediterranean diet
Keyword almonds, cabbage, Corinth raisins, long grain rice, rice, spices, Thrace
PREP TIME 5 minutes
COOK TIME 25 minutes
SERVES 4

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil preferably Greek, or butter
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
  • 3 ½ cups washed thinly shredded green cabbage
  • 1 cup peeled and chopped plum tomatoes
  • 2 ¾ cups water
  • 1 cup long-grain rice preferably brown rice
  • ½ cup dark seedless raisins
  • ½ cup finely chopped blanched almonds*
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. 1. In a heavy stewing pot, heat the olive oil or butter and sauté onion until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cabbage and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
  2. 2. Add tomatoes and water and bring mixture to a gentle boil. Add rice, raisins, almonds, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until liquid is absorbed and rice cooked.
  3. 3. Place mixture into a lightly buttered mold and allow to set for 8 to 10 minutes, then turn out onto a platter. Or toss gently in serving bowl. Serve warm.

Notes

* You get the most flavorful blanched almonds by doing the blanching yourself. Take whole, unroasted almonds and drop them into boiling water for about 45 seconds. Remove, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Remove the skins by squeezing the almonds, one at a time, between your thumb and index finger. The skins should slip right off.