Cabbage Roll Stew

I had more breakfast for dinner tonight — an egg sandwich with aged white cheddar, sauerkraut, and stoneground mustard. When it rains breakfast, it pours around here. I’ve started using this new method for eggs where I’ll actually use a saucepan, heat oil in it on a low setting, and let it warm up a little before cracking the eggs inside [one or two depending on the mood]. Then I cover it and let it sit for several minutes. You’ll eventually hear it stop sizzling, so that’s when I usually take the lid off and give it a good shake to make sure the bottom isn’t sticking. It moves any uncooked white, too, so it can cook up. It takes maybe five minutes or however long it takes my toaster to toast. There is no awkward flipping involved, I don’t break the yolk, and I can cook the yolk as long as I want. I bounce between wanting a runny yolk and a set one. I’m equal opportunity. I seriously don’t think there is an egg I didn’t like.

In an effort to not eat breakfast 24/7, I’ve been making soups, stews, and salads either on Sunday or early in the week, and using them during the week for a few lunches. Since I hit up the gym on my lunch break [or at 4:30pm when work gets too busy and I can’t get away], I don’t have a whole lot of time to go get something. Plus most of the food in immediate surroundings of my office, in a word, sucks. A girl can only eat so much Thai.

This stew is super hearty, but totally different than most stews because of the abundance of delicious cabbage. I love me some cabbage. The barley was an afterthought because I didn’t want to use rice. I’ve been eating lots of Thai remember? Adding sauerkraut was just awesome. You could just as easily take it out if it isn’t your thing, but adds a depth that the broth wouldn’t normally have. I’d add a splash of vinegar if you do take it out. As with most soups and stews, this got better with age.

Inspiration: Everybody Likes Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1lb spicy Italian sausage [mine was chicken]
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1/2 cup barley
• 1 small head of red cabbage [or half of a large], thinly sliced
• 14oz can of diced tomatoes
• 2 cups broth
• 1 cup sauerkraut

Preparation

Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, and add the sausage. Crumble it as your brown it. Add in the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Stir to coat in the sausage grease. Once the onion starts to get translucent, add in the barley. Add the cabbage, tomatoes, broth, and sauerkraut. Stir it all together, cooking for another 20-30 minutes. Taste the broth as it cooks to taste the evolving flavor. I added a pinch of salt, pepper, and a hint of cayenne. I wanted the spice. The stew is done when the barley is cooked and tender.