guivetch, red cabbage casserole

This is one of my favourite winter warmers, but I make it whenever red cabbage is around in the stores. Everyone who's tasted it has loved it. Guivetch sounds exotic: Red Cabbage Casserole doesn't have the same catchiness, does it?

This photo shows the main ingredients - well, most of them, anyway. I realise I've forgotten to put the garlic cloves on the cutting mat, and it wouldn't be the same without the garlic!!! Also missing is the parsely. Who stole the red cabbage? It was right there when I took the picture!!!!!

So, take:

3 large sticks of celery - chopped

1 large onion - chopped

6 cloves of garlic (or to taste, obviously), crushed

half a red cabbage, shredded

half a tin of sweetcorn, drained (or use fresh if it's around)

100gms chopped Brazil nuts

2 stock cubes (or homemade, concentrated stock)
15 ml horseradish paste (I use wasabi)
2 tsp harissa paste/powder
parsley - a good handful if fresh, 3 tsps if dried
salt and pepper

Fry celery and onion gently in a little olive oil. Add garlic and red cabbage and sautee for a few minutes more. Dissolve stock cubes in about half a pint of water and add to pan with the Brazil nuts, sweetcorn, horseradish, harissa and parsely. Simmer for quarter of an hour until just cooked, then season to taste.

Feel free to add more harissa or horseradish if it's not hot enough for your taste buds, or more parsley. Add other herbs if you like, or the rest of the sweetcorn. Stir in chick peas or butter beans for a variation on a theme, both work well, the nuttiness of the chickpeas complements the heat, and the butter beans add a creaminess.

The nuts help to thicken the liquor, so chop them finely. Having said that, now adjust so that the oveall mix appeals to you. Add a little more water if it's too thick - the liquid soaks into the potato or rice that you serve with it, and is delicious:)

Serve with jacket baked potatoes, boiled potoatoes, or over rice, accompanied with a green vegetable. I'll add a photo of the cooked dish once I've made it for dinner - be patient, be patient:)

I believe this to have been described as a Russian peasant dish when I came across it, about 20 years ago. Lucky peasants!!

Well, we enjoyed it with green beans, fresh from the garden, and a jacket potato. Here it is, lovely colours and a mix of textures. Scrummy.