St. Patrick's Day Stuffed Cabbage Stew

The Irish aren't exactly known for their fine cuisine.  Corned beef and steamed cabbage have never done much to impress me.  That being said, I still wanted to make something festively appropriate for the holiday this week.  Barring any green-tinged beverages, I wanted to find a way to make that cabbage into something good.


Stuffed Cabbage Stew
adapted from Rachael Ray

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup raw brown rice

3 cups chicken stock

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Salt

Pepper

1 bay leaf

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler into strips then finely chopped

1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

14 oz crushed tomatoes

In a sauce pot, boil 2 cups of water.  Add rice, reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.

Heat a soup pot over medium high heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, once hot, add meat and begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain meat and return to the pot.  Season the meat with allspice, coriander, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Add bay leaf, onions, garlic and carrots. Cook veggies 2 to 3 minutes to begin to soften them, then add cabbage and wilt it down a bit. Add tomatoes and chicken stock and cover the pot. Raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer for at least 10 minutes, but really go as long as you want.  Serve with a scoop of rice on top.  As always, better on the second day.  

Wash it all down with a shamrock shake, if you get excited about that.  Or, a green smoothie!