Cabbage Casserole is Kaalilaatikko

Casseroles, known as Laatikko, are popular in Finnish cuisine and range from carrot, potato, rutabaga, and of course the one we make today - cabbage! The direct translation for laatikko is box, which I find amusing. Cabbage box, anyone?

Towards Summer

It's November and we've turned back our clocks. Tuomas and I went for a walk on Sunday around the Hietaniemi cemetery, which is a calm place to remember many heads of state and over 50 nationally and internationally acclaimed Finnish artists and their spouses. I mentioned the phrases "spring forward" and "fall back" as a simple way to remember which way to set the clocks. He replied with the phrase "towards summer". Oh Finns, another way you make life so simple. As we walk around the cemetery on this coldest day yet, I am reminded of the darkness of winter that will soon set in, but not longing for anything else.

The winter will arrive and we need comforting food. Casseroles are certainly that. This Kaalilaatikko is the perfect casserole:

1. Texture: the top layer of cabbage forms a crispy crust. The cream stews into the cabbage and rice to make a velvety filling, that's not too rich.

2. Protein: ground beef seasoned with marjoram which is a complex flavor of pine and citrus.

3. Starch: brown rice is wholesome and filling

4. Vegetable: cabbage, which makes up the majority of this dish, was given the nickname "drug of the poor" during the Middle Ages due to its inexpensiveness and health benefits.

5. Binder: milk and cream which thickens and binds the dish, but does not leave a gooey sauce.

This can be served as a main dish and can be made low carb by omitting the rice or substituting quinoa. See low carb recipe at the bottom of this page! Either way you make it, it's a beautiful and flavorful dish that will give you a little taste of Finland.

Golden Syrup

The unique ingredient in this recipe is golden syrup. When I first saw this on ingredient lists, I thought it may be corn syrup or molasses. I asked Kaija about this and she showed me her bottle of siirappia, which was something entirely different.

Siirappia, or golden syrup, has an appearance and consistency similar to honey, and is often used as a substitute where honey is unavailable or prohibitively expensive. In today's modern Finland, honey is widely available, but many of the recipes still call for the golden syrup. First marketed in 1885 in England, the syrup is a by-product of the sugar refining process that had previously been sold off cheaply as pig-food. With some adjustment to the recipe, this syrup was adapted for human consumption and is still in production today. In 2006 Guinness World Records declared the product label to be the world's oldest branding and packaging.

Traditional Kaalilaatikko Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 kg kaalta 2 lbs white cabbage

• 1 dl vettä ½ cup water

• 4½ dl pilkottua sipulia 2 cups onions chopped

• 400 g jauhelihaa 1 lb ground beef

• 1½ tl suolaa 1½ tsp salt

• ¼ tl valkopippuria ¼ tsp ground white pepper

• 2 rkl kuivattua meiramia 2 tbsp dried marjoram

• 2 rkl siirappia 2 tbsp golden syrup or honey

• 1 dl täysjyväriisiä ½ cup brown rice or jasmine rice

• 2 dl ruokakermaa ¾ cup cream

• 5 dl kevytmaitoa 2 cups 2% milk

Directions

1. Cook the cabbage: Cut the cabbage into squares and place in a large pot. Cover with water and simmer under a lid for approximately 10 minutes.

2. Cook the meat: while the cabbage is cooking, chop the onions. Heat a pan on medium high heat and cook the onions for a few minutes. Add the ground meat and cook until done. Season with honey, salt, pepper and marjoram.

3. Mix all fillings: I use the casserole dish to mix everything, but you can also use a mixing bowl. To mix in the casserole dish, pour the rice into the bottom of dish. Then pour meat mixture and lastly add the drained cooked cabbage. Give it a stir and mix until evenly combined. The rice has a tendency to fall to the bottom and the corners, so check these areas for big clumps of rice.

4. Top with Cream: Once you've got everything in the casserole dish and thoroughly mixed, top with cream and milk.

5. Cook: Place in the lower third of the oven at 175 degrees C (350 F) for approximately 1 ½ hours. If necessary, cover the pan with foil if the surface starts to darken too much.

6. Serve: Scoop out onto plates and top with lingonberries or cranberries. Works well with a simple salad, rye bread, and potatoes. Keep in the fridge for up to three days.

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Healthier Kaalilaatikko Recipe

For this variety, we will replace the rice with quinoa. We will replace the beef with chicken. When using quinoa, we can decrease the amount of milk to 4 dl. Additionally, we're going to add an extra bit of salt to make up for the lack of fat we would normally get from the beef.

Ingredients

• 1 kg kaalta 2 lbs white cabbage

• 1 dl vettä ½ cup water

• 4½ dl pilkottua sipulia 2 cups onions chopped

• 400 g kanan jauhelihaa 1 lb ground chicken

• 2 tl suolaa 2 tsp salt

• ¼ tl valkopippuria ¼ tsp ground white pepper

• 2 rkl kuivattua meiramia 2 tbsp dried marjoram

• 2 rkl siirappia 2 tbsp golden syrup or honey

• 1 dl kvinoaa ½ cup quinoa

• 2 dl ruokakermaa ¾ cup cream

• 4 dl kevytmaitoa 1½ cups 2% milk

Directions

1. Follow the same directions for the traditional casserole, but use the ingredient list above. You can decrease the cooking time to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Resources:

• https://www.ruokavirasto.fi/en/foodstuffs/food-sector/tuote--ja-toimialakohtaiset-vaatimukset/muut-tuotekohtaiset-vaatimukset/honey/

• https://www.farmersalmanac.com/13-cabbage-health-benefits-26837