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savoy mess
Start with a savoy cabbage, take only the fine leaves, add onions and bacon and let it simmer... Some cream for the final finish and some meat balls make the savoy mess a full dish for lunch or dinner. Maybe add some crunchy baguette bread or even some plain cooked potatoes: it’s one of the best dishes for winter season!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
ingredients:
for the savoy:
  • 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
for the bacon:
  • 50 g South Tyrolean bacon thin slices
  • 6 spring onions
  • 1 tbsp oil e. g. peanut oil
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • salt & pepper
for the meat balls:
  • 400 g minced meat 50% beef & 50% pork
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp fine breadcrumbs
  • 6 tbsp cream
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • salt & pepper
how to:
  • 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 small 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 3rd 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.
Notes
Prep Time: It’s the trimming & chopping of the ingredients.
Cook Time: It’s the frying of the bacon-onion mess, the meat balls & the savoy - all done using the same pan w/o cleaning in between.
Savoy: I recommend only to use the leaves w/o the big veins. If you like to use the whole leave you should take into account that you’ll need more time for frying.
Cream for the savoy: Instead of 100% cream you may also use 50% cream & 50% milk. If you like more liquid in the final mess just add some more cream resp. cream-milk mix.
Breadcrumbs & cream: You may substitute milk for the cream. Make sure to use very fine breadcrumbs. The mix shouldn’t have any lumps.
Chopped savoy: The amount of chopped savoy seems overwhelming at 1st sight - be sure it’ll collapse in the pan.
You may store the savoy dish in your fridge & reheat in the microwave. (All cabbage dishes seem to be better after reheating!) Be aware that the cream will soak into the mess.
You may also freeze the savoy mess.