Cabbage Gratin

Our CSA bag had a beautiful head of cabbage. I wanted to try something new and found this cabbage gratin recipe in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. It is a perfect cookbook when I need an idea for a particular ingredient. I already had an open container of tomato paste, and after reading the cookbook information about gratins, decided I could substitute 1/4 c cream for 1/4 c more milk.

The recipe called for cutting the cabbage leaves into 2-inch squares. The recipe also called for buttering the dish and coating it with grated Parmesan cheese. I had shredded cheese, and it didn't stick to the side, but we had a nice layer of cheese on the bottom.

I didn't eat the gratin on the day I made it. In fact, I placed it in the refrigerator after assembling, and then I cooked it several hours later. Even after it was cooked, we didn't eat it for dinner, but I put it in the refrigerator. I liked it cold (actually better than reheated in the microwave). It reminded me of a vegan-gluten-free lasagna that a friend makes with cabbage leaves instead of pasta and avocado instead of cheese. I tried to eat the gratin as a main dish, but it just wasn't filling enough. However, it makes a nice and relatively simple side dish.

Cabbage Gratin

Butter and grated Parmesan for dish

1 1/2 pounds cabbage (from CSA)

1/3 c flour

1 1/4 c milk

2 T tomato paste

3 eggs

Salt and pepper

3 T dry parsley

Butter a gratin dish and coat the sides with cheese. Boil the cabbage uncovered in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain. Whisk the remaining ingredients together. Combine in the dish and bake 375F for 50 minutes. (I added about 20 minutes to this cooking time since I had took the dish directly from the refrigerator to the oven.)