This is the end …
A savoy mess starts big – w/ this big big savoy cabbage – & finally becomes a soft, juicy mess of savoy, cream, meat balls, bacon & onion …
In Germany we call this mess just „Durcheinander“ – (hotchpotch). The basis may be a savoy cabbage, however, it may also be a white cabbage or Brussels sprouts or carrots or kohlrabi … whatever vegetables are available – typically during autumn & winter. You may add some meat balls or just fried minced meat or any type of sausages as well as brisket of beef … (I won’t go down the road to any knuckles of pork or belly of pork or pig’s trotters or any whatever …) You may also skip the meat & use only some stock. In short: it’s a perfect dish for any grey rainy (or snowy) day.
Cabbage & me: we are not really friends, however, we are no enemies either. Most of the time I don’t prefer cooking any type of cabbage because it takes time. Cabbage isn’t the solution for homecoming from the office, hungry … & then preparing some dinner w/ help of cabbage. (Ok – if you just have to defrost & reheat any cabbage mess – it’s fine!) Nevertheless I think it’s the most underestimated comfort food around.
So I started thinking about how to prepare cabbage in a fast way … & I started w/ a real beautiful savoy cabbage.
What do we need?
We think of a simple approach:
- a savoy cabbage w/ cream for the finishing touch
- bacon & spring onions for the basic flavoring
- minced meat mixed w/ breadcrumbs soaked in cream or milk w/ an egg … formed into mini meat balls …
- … & some spice: I made a try w/ garam masala (a mixture of primarily Indian spices).
The basic flavoring was a fried mix of hearty bacon, spring onions (or any other mild onion) in oil – w/ a pinch of garam masala.
Said & done. Chopped & fried.
Next step was frying the meat balls.
I had “half & half“ minced meat aka 50% minced beef & 50% minced pork. The breadcrumbs were soaked in cream – you may also use milk – until you get a soft mess. Add an egg, add 2 heaped tablespoons of the bacon-onion mess, some garam masala & knead it. Don’t forget some salt & pepper to taste. Finally form small meatballs (about 30!) & fry them in some oil. Turn them over to get them well done. Finally set aside the meat balls.
You get it: we are working w/ a mess here & a mess there. The basic principle of „Durcheinander” is creating a mess existing of other „messes“!
Another point:
I started w/ frying bacon & onions in the pan. Set aside the bacon-onion mess. Then I used the same pan w/o cleaning for the meat balls. This will continue … Next step will be the savoy in the same pan w/o cleaning … So you don’t need more than 1 pan & there is no in-between-cleaning necessary.
Now next step: The savoy will lose all his outer leaves completely. Afterwards we rip apart all the inner leaves. Every now & then we cut off the end of the stem & discard it.
Afterwards in the process we take each of the leaves & cut it in the middle while cutting-out the big vein of the leave. The big veins will be discarded, too.
At the end there is a lot of discarded stems & leaves … I like to get my savoy soft rather quickly so I won’t deal w/ the stems of the cabbage as well as the veins of the leaves which are the real tough parts. Keep in mind that you’ll lose about 40% of the cabbage! (Therefore the savoy isn’t so intimidating as it seemed from the start!)
The remaining leaves will be roughly chopped & amount to a rather big mountain.
We start w/ our pan again & put in about 1/3 of the savoy mountain. Add some water to just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat it up & the leaves will collapse soon. (They won’t get mushy because we are dealing w/ savoy!)
Then add the bacon-onion mess & some garam masala & some more water & mix. Add the next batch of savoy & mix until the savoy collapses.
Finally it’s the last batch of savoy. When collapsing the water should have vanished until now. Add the cream & mix. Add the meat balls. Bring the cream to a boil. Ready.
The garam masala gives a fine sweet Oriental note perfect for cabbage.
Best is: you can indulge at once when ready or leave it for dinner or next day. Just reheat it in the microwave. Each „Durcheinander“ gets even better when reheated – everybody knows about this truth.
Enjoy!
- 1 savoy cabbage (about 1,000 g becoming about 600 g after trimming)
- about 250 ml water
- 1 tsp garam masala
- a pinch of sugar
- about 250 ml cream
- salt & pepper
- 50 g South Tyrolean bacon (thin slices)
- 6 spring onions
- 1 tbsp oil (like peanut oil)
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- salt & pepper
- 400 g minced meat (50% beef & 50% pork)
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp fine breadcrumbs
- 6 tbsp cream
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- salt & pepper
- Chop the bacon & the spring onions.
- Fry bacon & spring onions w/ garam masala in the oil for about 10 min. (Don’t let it burn!)
- Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Set aside.
- In the meanwhile mix breadcrumbs & cream for the meat balls.
- Combine mix minced meat, egg, the breadcrumbs-cream mess, garam masala & 2 tbsp of the bacon-onions mess & knead until everything is well distributed & smooth.
- Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Make mini meat balls & place them in the pan.
- Fry for about 10-15 min; the meat balls should be well done.
- Set aside.
- Discard all the outer leaves of the savoy cabbage (normally 2 layers of leaves).
- Discard the stem & free every leaf from its big vein.
- Chop all trimmed leaves.
- Add some water to the pan & start frying about 1/3 of the chopped savoy.
- Add the bacon-onion mess & the garam masala & a pinch of sugar.
- Mix well.
- When the savoy collapses add another ⅓ of the chopped savoy & some more water.
- Mix well.
- … & once again.
- After about 20-30 min the savoy should be soft & the water should be gone.
- Add the cream & mix well.
- Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Add the meat balls & mix carefully.
- Ready for serving.
