Lamb-and-Feta Stuffed Cabbage

These stuffed cabbage rolls (known as lahanodolmades in Greece) are slow-simmered in a slightly sweet, ouzo-infused tomato sauce. Use only short-grain rice in the filling; long-grain rice takes too long to soften.

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  1 large head green cabbage (about 3 lb.), outer leaves discarded, cored
  
  


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  1 lb. ground lamb
  
  


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  1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  
  


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  1 large egg
  
  


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  4 oz. (1 cup) crumbled feta
  
  


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  1/2 cup short-grain rice, such as Arborio
  
  


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  1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
  


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  1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh oregano
  
  


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  1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  
  


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  1 tsp. ground cumin
  
  


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  1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
  
  


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  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


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  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  


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  1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes (about 2 cups)
  
  


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  1 cup lower-salt chicken broth
  
  


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  1/3 cup ouzo or sambuca
  
  

Fill a tall, 8-quart (or larger) pot with enough water to submerge the whole cabbage and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the cabbage until the outer leaves are bright green and start to pull away, about 4 minutes. Carefully pull them off with tongs and lay them on a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel. Continue boiling the cabbage and removing its leaves in layers as they soften until the entire cabbage is cooked, 15 to 20 minutes total. Let cool.

In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the lamb, onion, egg, feta, rice, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, cumin, fennel, 2-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1ƒ tsp. pepper.

With a paring knife, remove the hard ribs from the cabbage leaves. Cut the larger leaves in half lengthwise.

 Coat the bottom of an 8- to 9-quart Dutch oven with the olive oil. Arrange several cabbage leaves on a work surface so they run lengthwise away from you. Working with one leaf, put about 1-1/2 Tbs. of the lamb mixture on the end closest to you. Fold the long sides in toward the lamb, and then roll away from you to enclose the meat. Put the roll in the pot, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining cabbage and filling, arranging the rolls in a snug single layer (if necessary, add a loosely packed second layer).

Combine the tomatoes, broth, and ouzo in a medium bowl and pour the mixture over the rolls. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook, shaking the pot occasionally so the rolls don’t stick, until the rice in the filling is completely tender, 60ƒ to 90 minutes.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

In this take on the classic Irish-American boiled dinner, the vegetables are drizzled with garlic butter and broiled for added flavor. Pickling spice is a blend of cardamom, bay leaves, ginger, peppercorns, and other flavorings; look for it in the spice aisle of your grocery store.

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  5 large cloves garlic, smashed
  
  


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  4 large sprigs fresh thyme  
  
  


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  3 Tbs. pickling spice
  
  


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  2 dried bay leaves  
  
  


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  1 Tbs. black peppercorns 
  
  


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  1 4- to 5-lb. corned beef brisket 
  
  


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  4 medium red potatoes (about 1-1/2 lb.), scrubbed and quartered
  
  


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  4 large carrots (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths  
  
  


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  2 large yellow onions (about 1 lb.), quartered 
  
  


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  2 large celery stalks, cut into 2-inch lengths 
  
  


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  1 large head green cabbage (about 3 lb.), outer leaves discarded, quartered 
  
  


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  3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter 
  
  


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  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


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  Malt vinegar, for drizzling (optional) 
  
  

Cut a 5-inch square of cheese cloth and lay it on a flat work surface. Put 4 of the garlic cloves, the thyme, pickling spice, bay leaves, and peppercorns in the center of the cloth. Tie the opposite corners together, creating a pouch.

Put the brisket and the spice pouch in a 12-quart stock pot and add enough cold water to cover the brisket by 4 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the beef is nearly fork-tender, about 3-1/2 hours. 

Add the potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and cabbage. Simmer until the meat is fork-tender and the vegetables are just tender, about 30 minutes more. With tongs, transfer the meat to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. 

Using a wire skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a foil-lined baking sheet. Reserve the cooking liquid and discard the spice pouch. 

In a 1-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the remaining garlic clove. Cook until the garlic is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Discard the garlic.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the broiler on high. Drizzle the butter over the vegetables and broil until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 

Slice the corned beef and arrange on a serving platter, surrounded by the vegetables. Drizzle some of the cooking liquid over the meat and pass the remaining liquid and malt vinegar (if using) on the side. Serve hot.