This is a delicious, warming Winter dish and makes a great side or sharing plate over the festive season. The sweetness of the cabbage is heightened further with the use of sultanas marries beautifully with the salty, umami flavour of the feta and the whole thing looks and feels festive.
This simpler recipe is just of the pilaf topped with feta and a ham crumb. Check out the second recipe which uses three quarters of this pilaf recipe but that is spooned onto a filo pastry base, topped with a feta bechamel and finished in the oven.
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
For the pilaf
- 250g cabbage, finely shredded on a mandolin
- 100g grated carrot
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 100g basmati rice
- 100ml dry white wine
- 1 ltr vegetable stock
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- ¼ mustard seeds
- 50g sultanas
- 50g pine nuts
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon, juice
For the feta cream
- 200g feta cheese
- 150g Greek yogurt
- Milk or Cream to thin
For the crispy ham
- 100g smoked ham slices
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
To serve
- A few basil leaves
- A pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
Method
Bring a large pan to a medium heat and add the olive oil and spices. Cook for a minute or so to release their aromas and add the onion. Sweat the onion for 3-4 minutes and add the celery. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a couple minutes more before adding the rise. Stir for 2-3 more minutes and pour in the wine. When the wine evaporates, add half the stock and give everything a stir. Add the sultanas, lower the heat cover the pan and cook slowly, stirring from time to time and adding stock as needed until the rice and vegetables are cooked.
While the rice is cooking, put the ham slices in a bag and use a mullet to beat them pushing outwards as you do. Use your hands to shred them further. Bring a small frying pan with the EVOO to a high heat and fry the shredded ham using a slotted spoon to move around so that it crisps up evenly. Drain the ham on some kitchen paper and keep to the side.
To make the feta cream, blitz the feta, Greek yogurt in a small blender and add milk or cream to loosen to a spoonable consistency.
In a clean, dry frying pan, roast the pine nuts. When the rice is cooked, season with some freshly ground black pepper and salt if it is needed. Stir in half the pine nuts.
When serving, spoon some of the feta creamover the rice in each plate, sprinkle with the crispy ham, reserved pine nuts, a few torn basil leaves and some extra black pepper or chilli flakes.