Polish Cabbage with Yellow Peas {Kapusta z Grochem}

Anna

7 years ago

70 / 100

Cabbage with Yellow Peas

Kapusta z grochem [kah-poo-stah z groh-hehm] is often one of the twelve dishes served at Polish Christmas Eve dinner. Poles start celebrating Christmas with an abundant Christmas Eve feast. Dishes vary from home to home and region to region, but they often include a starter of beet broth with mushroom dumplings and/or wild mushroom soup, and are followed by wild mushroom and sauerkraut pierogi, herring in sour cream served over hot potatoes and many more fish and vegetarian dishes, cabbage and yellow peas being one of them.

This dish sometimes gets outshined by other holiday favorites but it, as the others, deserves its own spotlight. It is mild and hearty, with its main flavor component coming from the peas. I like to leave a little crunch to my peas, so they also provide a bit of texture. Cabbage is soft, but also with a little crunch.

This savory dish will make a great addition to any meat dish, served a side to beef rolls, meatballs or any other favorite main course, or can be enjoyed as a meal of its own.

Cabbage with Yellow Peas {Kapusta z Grochem}

Yields: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 40-50 min

Ingredients

1/2 cup of yellow peas
1/2 tsp salt
1 large onion
2 tbs of butter/oil
1/2 head of cabbage
1 cup broth (vegetable, chicken or beef)
2 bay leaves
4 allspice seeds
1 tsp of caraway seed (optional)
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 tbs of all purpose flour
3 tbs of butter

Instructions

Place raw yellow peas in a pot with 1 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt and cook on medium heat (covered) for 30 min. I like mine with just a little bit of substance, so I don't boil them until they fall apart.
In the mean time, cut cabbage in half and thinly slice one half in a shredder or hand slice. Chop into smaller pieces. Chop 1 onion, and sauté with bayleaves, allspice and caraway in butter until golden brown in a medium/large pot (cabbage will join in).
When onions are ready add cabbage and broth and cook uncovered for about 10 min to soften the cabbage. Add peas, and mix well to combine.
In a small pan make roux of flour and butter, add to cabbage and stir in. Taste, add more salt, if needed. Add ground pepper at the end.