INGREDIENTS:

16 (or so) large cabbage leaves

2 cups kasha (buckwheat groats) or coarse bulgar  

2 tablespoons oil  

2 medium onions  

4 stalks celery, diced  

1 medium carrot diced  

2 Tsp minced garlic  

2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms  

¼ cup almond butter  

4 ounces tempeh  

1 tsp thyme leaves  

Salt and pepper  

2 cups tomato sauce  

1 cup vegetable stock

PREPARATION:

Select cabbage leaves large enough to hold about ½ cup filling. If the cabbage is small, you may need to blanch a few extra leaves and piece them together. You may wish to use vegetable stock rather than water to swell the kasha, as it gives the filling a more complex flavour.

Blanch the cabbage leaves, a few at a time, in boiling water. When the leaves are pliable, remove from the water and cool under running water or in ice water. Green cabbage may take 2-4 minutes, savoy a bit less, and napa only a minute or less. Pat the leaves dry and reserve.

In a wide skillet over medium low heat, toast the kasha till it is fragrant and just starting to brown. Transfer the kasha to a bowl and pour 3 cups of boiling water or veg stock over it. Cover the bowl and let stand for 15 minutes or till the water is absorbed.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the tempeh (crumbled up) onions, celery, carrot, garlic and shiitakes till the onions have softened. Turn the heat off and add the almond butter. Season with thyme, salt and pepper and mix well. Add the kasha to the skillet and mix well. The mixture should just hold together. Add a little water or more almond butter to adjust the consistency.    

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil or spray a 9x13 baking dish. Mix the tomato sauce and stock and pour half of it into the baking dish.  

Mound ½ cup of the kasha mixture at the root end of each cabbage leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling and roll the leaf to enclose the filling and form a small packet. Arrange the cabbage rolls in the baking dish. Top the rolls with the reserved sauce. Cover with plastic or waxed paper, then with aluminium foil. Bake for 1 hour or until the sauce is bubbly and the rolls are heated through. Makes 8 servings.  

Very Vegetarian , by Jannequin Bennett, forward by Carl Lewis, published by Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, TN Reprinted by Permission.  

A few notes about this recipe, which is one of my favourites. I use green cabbage, 1 ½ cups kasha instead of 2, 1 onion instead of 2, and leave out the mushrooms.