Holiday Sweet and Sour Brisket with Cabbage + Vegetarian Variation

Sweet and Sour Brisket with Cabbage

This Hanukkah recipe is based on my grandmother's recipe for cabbage borscht - it can be eaten over noodles or even as a soup. Or, if you prefer, you can thicken the sauce to make it more like a stew.

2 lb brisket, flanken, or beef short ribs

2 medium onions, chopped*

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 cups canned chopped tomatoes in puree

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 medium head of cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup brown sugar or to taste

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper or to taste

1 bay leaf

1-2 tsp. paprika

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 c seedless raisins (optional)

2 tbs olive oil

4 cups beef stock or water

1 cup red wine (optional)

1-2 tbs. olive oil for sauteing

*You can substitute the onion, carrots, and celery for about 1 to 1 1/2 cup of mirepoix mix (as always I use Trader Joe's brand). If you are making a stew, don't use the mirepoix and be sure to chop your vegetables a little bigger.

In a large pot, add meat and cover with stock or water. Boil over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes and set aside. In a large dutch oven or deep, heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil over medium-high heat and saute the garlic, carrots, celery, onions, and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender. Add wine, tomatoes, brown sugar, lemon juice, bay leaf, wine, paprika, raisins (if you are using them) and the boiled meat/stock. Stir well and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and adjust seasonings if needed. Cook about an hour to an hour and a half, until meat is falling apart. Add additional stock or water if needed - there should be enough liquid to cover the meat, and you can add even more if you want a soupier dish. If you want it thicker and more stew-like, you can add 1-2 tsp. cornstarch mixed into about 1/4 cup stock or water. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Serve over buttered, wide egg noodles or rice, or eat on its own as a soup or stew.

As you can see here, I served this holiday favorite with roasted beets, zucchini-tomato gratin, and fresh bread.

** Vegetarian Variation ** 

Substitute vegetarian or vegan "beef strips" (I used Gardein) for the brisket.

2 medium onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, cut into chunks

2 carrots, cut into chunks

2 cups canned chopped tomatoes in puree

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 medium head of cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup brown sugar or to taste

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper or to taste

2 bay leaves

1-2 tsp. paprika

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 c seedless raisins (optional)

2 tbs olive oil

4 cups Imagine No-Chicken broth OR Imagine onion soup OR vegetable stock

1 cup red wine (optional)

1-2 tbs. olive oil for sauteing 

In a large, deep skillet heat oil over medium-high heat and saute onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender. Add the "beef" strips and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, brown sugar, lemon juice, and raisins (if you are using them). Cook everything over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until everything is tender. Thicken with cornstarch (as mentioned above) if you want it more stew-like. 

**Variation**

For a deconstructed stuffed cabbage, substitute 1 package of vegetarian "beef" crumbles for the "beef" strips. Don't thicken with flour or cornstarch, and serve over white or brown rice.