My beautiful 5-pound cabbage

Who says farmers’ markets are too expensive? It depends to a great extent on what you buy, where your market is and which stands you buy from. My farmers’ market is not in a fancy part of Los Angeles, and the prices reflect this. Last week I couldn’t believe the size and beauty of the cabbages one farmer was selling by the piece. I bought one for $2, took it home and weighed it: five pounds on the dot. It made five terrific meals, all with ingredients I had on hand. I’ve been covering a lot of brassicas lately – those healthy phytochemical-rich cruciferous vegetables like kale, kohlrabi, broccoli and cabbage. That’s what we have plenty of at this time of year, and there’s no reason to be bored with them. I stuffed the tough outside leaves of my big cabbage, quartered the rest and made a pizza, a pie, a stir-fry and the most wonderful baked beans I’ve ever eaten. Stuffed Cabbage Leaves I used the large outside leaves of my huge cabbage for these Greek-inspired rice-and-herb-filled cabbage rolls. Those leaves are too tough for many other preparations, but they’re perfect for stuffing. 12 large cabbage leaves (about 2 pounds) 1/4 cup olive oil 1 large red or white onion, finely chopped Salt to taste 1 1/4 cups long-grain or basmati rice, rinsed and drained 3 tablespoons pine nuts 2 to 3 garlic cloves (to taste), minced 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill 1/3 cup finely chopped mint 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley Freshly ground pepper to taste 1/3 to 1/2 cup strained freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 lemon, sliced 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the cabbage leaves, a few at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are flexible. Transfer from the pot to a bowl of cold water, then drain and set aside. Cut out the thickest part of the base of the center rib by notching a 1- to 1 1/2-inch V at the base. This will make the leaves easier to roll up. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until it is tender but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the pine nuts and garlic, stir together and add the drained rinsed rice. Stir for a minute or two, until you hear the rice begin to crackle, then remove from the heat. Toss with the herbs, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil. To gauge how much salt you will need, use the amount that you would use when cooking 1 1/4 cups of rice. 3. Lightly oil a heavy flame-proof or lidded skillet. Place a leaf on your work surface in front of you, with the wide ribbed bottom closest to you. Place 2 rounded tablespoons of the rice mixture on top of the leaf. Roll the leaf over once, and tuck in the sides. Continue to roll the leaf into a tight package. Place in the pan. Fill and roll the remaining leaves and pack them into the pan. You will probably need to stack two layers of the filled leaves. 4. Whisk together the lemon juice, remaining oil and tomato paste with 2 tablespoons water. Season to taste with salt. Pour over the cabbage rolls. Add enough water to barely cover the rolls and top with a layer of lemon slices. Invert a plate and place it on top of the rolls to keep them wrapped and in position. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, at which point the cabbage leaves will be tender and the rice cooked. Remove from the heat and carefully remove the stuffed leaves from the water to a platter or to plates with a slotted spoon or tongs. Taste the liquid left in the pot and adjust the seasoning. Serve the rolls warm with the liquid from the pot as a sauce. Yield: 6 servings. Advance preparation: These will keep for a 4 days in the refrigerator. They’re good cold and can be reheated gently in a pan. Nutritional information per serving: 314 calories; 11 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 milligrams cholesterol; 48 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 50 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 7 grams protein