FERMENTED CABBAGE LEAF DOLMAS WITH SQUASH PUREE AND TAHINI SAUCE (VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE)
Makes 8 dolmas
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Assembly Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 32oz. jar HEX Ferments fermented cabbage leaves
2 Cups cooked brown rice
1 Cup mixed soft herbs, like parsley, oregano, dill, chives, tarragon; chopped
1 Chile pepper, like fish or serrano, minced
1 Small apple, diced
1 Small shallot, minced
1 Lemon, juiced
2 tsp toasted, freshly ground coriander
1 tsp Sea salt
1 Cup Squash puree (recipe below)
1 Cup Tahini sauce (recipe below)
Mix brown rice, chopped herbs, chile, apple, shallot, lemon juice, and coriander. Adjust with sea salt to your liking. Set aside while remaining components are prepared.
Squash puree
1 Three-pound squash, like acorn, butternut, or delicata
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp preserved lemon, finely minced
1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
Sea salt
Preheat oven to 400F. Halve squash and rub inside thoroughly with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and place cut-side down onto baking sheet. Roast until flesh is easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Allow squash to cool briefly, and then scoop out flesh. Puree in a high-speed blender with preserved lemon and honey until smooth. Add oil to thicken or water to thin out if necessary. Puree should be thick like mashed potatoes. Adjust with salt to taste.
Tahini Sauce
1 Cup tahini
1 Bulb roasted garlic
1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp sea salt
Roast garlic by slicing off top 1/8 of bulb. Place in aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Close foil to cover garlic bulb and place in oven while squash is roasting. Once cooled, squeeze garlic cloves from bulb. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Lay one cabbage leaf on a flat surface. Spread 2 Tbsp of squash puree in center of leaf. Place 2 Tbsp of the herbed rice on top of squash puree. Carefully fold in left and right sides of cabbage leaf. Grab the bottom side of the cabbage leaf and begin rolling away from you, all the while making sure the filling is nicely tucked inside. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves and ingredients. Drizzle tahini sauce on top of finished dolmas or use as a dipping sauce.
Quick Cabbage Leaf Snack Ideas:
HEX whole fermented cabbage leaves are a great vehicle for a quick but nourishing snack any time of day. Fill them with a spreadable cheese (or non-dairy alternative) and sliced, fresh vegetables. Make a quick dipping sauce with your favorite ingredients, like a spicy peanut sauce or yogurt tzatziki. The cabbage leaves taste great with almost anything you have on hand rolled into them. Alternatively, slice the leaves into thin strips and sauté into scrambled eggs or an omelet. Toss slivers in a bean and vegetable salad or use a whole cabbage leaf to add complex flavor and texture to a sandwich.
