Foodie Fridays: Sweet and Tart Cabbage with Cottage Cheese-Dill Dumplings

Lately I have been revisiting some of my old favorite cookbooks.  One such book is Still Life with Menu Cookbook (1988) by Mollie Katzen.  I have mentioned Katzen's acclaimed Moosewood Cookbook in a previous post, but in some ways I find her Still Life with Menu Cookbook even more interesting.  The book is arranged by menu rather than by food category, and each menu is beautifully illustrated by Katzen, who is an accomplished artist as well as a cookbook author and authority on vegetarian cooking.  Her menus are as creative as her artwork, and it is enjoyable to just browse the pages, but it would be a mistake not to try some of her many recipes.

In this post I feature Katzen's recipe for Sweet and Tart Cabbage with Cottage Cheese-Dill Dumplings, which is a very long name for a very delicious recipe.  This dish takes a little time to prepare, but if necessary part or all of the components can be made ahead.  I prepared the Sweet and Tart Cabbage a couple of days before making the dumplings, and it reheats perfectly on the stovetop or in the microwave.  Similarly, you can make and poach the dumplings and then refrigerate them until you are ready to sauté and serve them with the cabbage.  As usual, I modified the recipe just a bit (replaced cumin seeds with caraway, used only red cabbage, and omitted the oranges from the cabbage, as well as modifying some ingredient amounts).  I prefer more tartness and less sweetness to my cabbage, so I added some pomegranate juice and apple cider vinegar and reduced the sugar (next time I may reduce the sugar to 1/4 C.).

This is seriously good eats, folks!  I think that even meat lovers would be happy to eat it, especially if served with the other dishes listed in the menu*, or if necessary with a piece of meat or poultry on the side.  Do try this recipe -- I don't think you will be disappointed!

Sweet and Tart Cabbage with Cottage Cheese-Dill Dumplings

2 T. butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 small head red cabbage, shredded
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. caraway seeds
2 tart green apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1-2 T. pomegranate juice
1-2 T. apple cider vinegar
1/4-1/2 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C. cottage cheese
1 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried dill (or 2 T. minced fresh dill)
2 T. butter

Melt 2 T. butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.  Add the cabbage and salt and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes, until the cabbage is almost tender (add the cabbage in several batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the skillet).  Stir in the caraway seeds, apple slices, juice, vinegar, and sugar.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes, until the cabbage and apples are soft.

While the cabbage cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Beat together the eggs and cottage cheese in a medium bowl.  Stir in the flour, salt, and dill.  Drop the dumpling dough by teaspoonfuls into the boiling water (you should get about 16 dumplings).  Do not crowd them as they will expand while cooking.  Cook for 15 minutes at a simmer.  Remove from the water onto a plate with a slotted spoon.  Melt the butter in a large sauté pan.  Add the dumplings and cook for 10-20 minutes over medium heat until golden (I cooked mine in two batches).  To serve, mound some of the cabbage on a plate and top with four dumplings.  Serves 4.

*The Menu (you will have to find the book for the other recipes!):

Rachel's Deluxe Challah

Egg, Onion, Parsley, and Watercress Appetizer with Raw Vegetables

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Sweet and Tart Cabbage with Cottage Cheese-Dill Dumplings

Fresh Fruit

Cream Cheese-Walnut Cookies