Cabbage in Tomato Sauce with Oven Baked Pork Ribs (Paradicsomos Káposzta Sült Oldalassal)

This cabbage dish is falls in the special category of Hungarian cuisine, called “főzelék”. These meals are made with vegetables, and thickened with roux or milk/sour cream mixed with flour. Cabbage in tomato sauce is a the love it or hate it „főzelék”, as this dish was (is?) a frequent meal at school canteens – usually overcooked and tasteless. But it can be delicious if you get the cabbage tender but not soggy and you find the right balance in the seasoning: little salty, little sweet with a hint of caraway seed taste. I made it with oven baked pork ribs but it can be served with meatballs, sausages, meatloaf or boild eggs too.

Ingredients for the Cabbage in Tomato Sauce (serves 6)
1 head of cabbage, about 1000gr (about 2.2 lbs)
1 onion
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 tbsp of tomato puree
1 liter (about 4.2 cups) Passata /strained tomatoes/ or you can use pure, unflavored tomato sauce
about 500 ml (2 cups) water
1-1.5 tsp salt (adjust is to your taste)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper /plus more if needed
½ tsp of ground caraway seed /plus more if needed
1 tbsp sugar /plus more if needed
For the roux:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 heaped tbsp of plain flour
½ tsp paprika
200 ml cold water

1. Cut the cabbage in quarters then remove the core. Slice it into strips, turning the cabbage sometimes to get shorter pieces. (it's easier to eat than the very long strips) Set it aside.
2. Cut the onion in half and slice it.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large pot, add the sliced onion and cook on low heat until the onion is soft but not browned.
4. Add 2 tbsp of tomato paste, stir and cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Now, add half of the cabbage strips, lightly mix it with the onion-tomato mixture then add the second half of the cabbage. Stir again. Sprinkle with some salt, and stir again. (don't worry if the cabbage seems too much – it will wilt!) Cover the pot, and cook on medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes.
6. Pour the Passata (or tomato sauce) over and mix it with the wilted cabbage. Now add some water /the amount depends of the thickness of the tomato sauce you've added/, stir and add some more if needed. (I've used 500 ml altogether)
7. Season with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp ground caraway seeds and 1 tbsp sugar. Stir everything together, cover the pot and cook on low heat for half an hour.
8. Meanwhile make the roux: In a small pot heat 1 tbsp of oil and add 2 heaped tablespoon of plain flour. Cook on low heat, stirring contiously until it's lightly browned.
9. Turn off the heat (preventing the paprika become bitter) and add ½ tsp of paprika. Stir well then pour about 200ml cold water over. Stir well with a whisk until no flour-lumps remain. Set is aside.
10. Back to the cabbage with the tomato sauce: check the seasoning, add some more salt/pepper/caraway seeds or sugar if needed. It should be sweet (but not too much), a little salty and the caraway seed should be present but not overwhelming. Let it cook with the seasoning for a couple of more minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cabbage – the best if it's tender but still has some bite.
11. Now, pour the roux over, stir together with the cabbage and cook four 5 minutes until it thickens a little. A final taste-check and it's ready to serve.
12. Serve with the oven-roasted pork ribs, or other sides (meatballs, fried sausages, meatloaf of boiled eggs)

Oven baked pork ribs
Ingredients (for 6)

1000 gr (about 2.2 lbs) pork ribs
5 tbsp of rendered pork lard /melted
5 garlic cloves chopped or sliced
½ cup of water
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (356F)
2. Cut the meat into pieces between the bones then season with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Put them on a non-stick baking pan, pour the melted lard over then scatter the sliced garlic around.
4. Add the water, cover the pan with tin-foil and bake in the oven for about 1 hour.
5. When the time is over take the pan out from the oven, remove the foil and check with a fork if the meat is tender enough.
6. If yes, put it back to the oven uncovered and bake at 200C (362F) for about 15 minutes, until the meat is lightly browned. It should be nicely browned and juicy, not dry.
7. Take the tray out from the oven and place the ribs on a plate.
8. Now, you can serve it as a side dish with the cabbage in tomato sauce (or other dishes).
9. The next step is not necessary, I just love to use the remaining lard this way:
10. In the baking tray, mash the baked garlic pieces into the hot lard with a fork. Pour it into a jar, let it cool then put it into the fridge. Later, when it sets you can spread it on a nice slice of bread and serve with some pickles. Believe me, it's delicious.

/The music is based on a Hungarian folk song, played and made by my husband, MrStick© 2019 - (all rights reserved)/