Shepherd's Pie Roll

After watching Brave and after winter break, we'd had an inkling to take a summer trip to Scotland/Ireland with our wonderful bay area friends. A couple months ticked by and I started firing off the messages to get the ball rolling as I always seem to (Ms. Facilitator), divided up the research after having a phone date. Then began my research with Glasgow, intrigued to find a "Crannog" center in Abernathy (5,000 year old type of dwelling), excited by walking tours  put on by the art school, yearning for Pollock Country park for hikes...and drooling over gluten-free {happy dance}afternoon tea places! But alas, less than a week later, with second thoughts about upcoming financial commitments (or looming furloughs), this trip has to be shelved.

Whether it was inspired by the future-vacation or maybe it was just because St. Patrick's Day was only a few weeks ago, I wanted something Irish/UK inspired. Shepherd's pie sounded good. And I also had plenty of cabbage from CSA. So adapted a cabbage roll recipe into Shepherd's Pie wrapped in steamed cabbage leaves. There's something that really makes my brain happy with the cabbage and potato combo. I even saw this recipe that could make a vegetarian version (use lentils instead of ground meat)

The big round cabbages work best. If your cabbage is the smaller cone or a different type of cabbage I would try chopping it, steaming and serving it as the "bed" for the potato and protein. 

POTATO FILLING-use this or your favorite mashed potato recipe. I wanted to use up carrot tops and lemons.

I made up a potato recipe: Rinsed, cut into similar sized pieces and boiled red potatoes, until a fork could pierce to the middle. While the potatoes boiled, I rinsed carrot tops and stuck them in a blender. Added about 2 tbsp of lemon juice, some smoked tomato flakes and 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast and 1/4 cup (add more if needed) of water. Made for a pesto to mix with the potatoes. Because of the citrus pucker, for me, it's not a dish I would eat a big bowl-full on it's own, I'd have something mellow to balance it out. Or perhaps turn it into salmon and/or daiya cheese patties. I found the pesto to taste nice over steamed broccoli.

CABBAGE LEAVES AND TURKEY FILLING-adapted a Mediterranean cabbage rolls recipe from Cooking Light, which originally called for a smaller portion, using turkey sausage instead of plain ground and it used rice.

18 Cabbage Leaves, rinsed

1 lb Ground Turkey, 93% Lean

1 lb Ground Turkey, 99% Lean

1.5 tbsps pine nuts

2 tsp sugar 

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice 
1 tsp ground cumin

1.5 cup water

 4 tbsp tomato paste

Steam the cabbage leaves, covered, 3 minutes or until tender. Keep warm.

Cook turkey and nuts in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray or a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat 12 minutes or until the meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in next 4 ingredients (rice through cumin); cook for 2 minutes. Add the water and tomato paste and stir until evenly incorporated. Remove from heat. Place the mixture in a medium bowl; cool slightly.

Place 1/4 cup turkey mixture in center of each cabbage leaf. Add 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes. Fold in edges of leaves; roll up. Eat. If you need a little zip, dot in some Sriracha sauce.

I wish the pesto kept its bright green, I know it looks swampy-chic...but it tastes very zingy carrot-lemon fresh.

Where is your next trip and does it inspire any recipes?