by Chef Waka of bushi-tei

One of Japantown’s premier restaurants, bushi-tei offers fine dining by Chef Waka. Today we have two dishes, one being a cabbage and bean stew for rejuvenating the body and soul. Then try making these cabbage rolls with the leftover ingredients!

Ingredients for Stew (serves 2)

Cabbage...............1/6 a head
Carrot.............................(1)
Potatoes...........................(2)
Kidney beans...........1/2 cup
Bouillon (1 cube, chicken is best)
Butter.............................40g
Bouquet garni (one bushel of celery, bay leaves and plenty of parsley)
Italian parsley (a pinch)

(1) Put 20g of the butter into a pot with the cabbage, cut into chunks, along with enough water for the cabbage to float, then add the soup stock.

(2) Add the bouquet garni to the pot and then cover and let simmer until the cabbage is soft.

(3) Cut the carrot and potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add the carrots and then the potatoes as the stew simmers.

(4) Once the contents have softened, add the beans and let them warm up, then add the rest of the butter and season by scattering on the parsley.

Ingredients for Rolls (4 rolls)

Cabbage leaves (4 large, 4 small)
Bacon...............4 thin slices
Butter........................20g
Meat sauce (Polonaise, 1 can)
Bay leaves.....................3
Cheese (e.g., mozzarella or gruyere)
Dried oregano
4 toothpicks

(1) Tear off the leaves of cabbage under running water.

(2) For each roll, roll a large and small piece of cabbage together, then roll a piece of bacon around the outside and stick in a toothpick to hold together.

(3) Heat butter in a pot and then fry the cabbage rolls. Once the bacon grease begins to appear, add 1.5 cups of water, cover the pot and stew the rolls for about 30 min. until soft.

(4) Add the meat sauce, bay leaves, and oregano, cover again and let simmer for another 30 min. until the sauce returns to its original thickness.

(5) Line the skewers in a gratin plate, cover with a healthy dose of cheese, and then heat on the top rack of an oven at about 375-400 degrees for 5 min.

- Add salt and paper to the stew to taste. Any beans such as kidney or garbanzo beans can be used.

- For the cabbage rolls, the core removed from a head of cabbage can be boiled in water with salt for 7 minutes and then sliced thinly and used to enhance a salad.