Meatloaf in savoy cabbage leaves
( Polpettone avvolto nella verza )

Recipe for meatloaf wrapped in savoy cabbage

reparation and cooking

• - Prepare cabbage.
  Remove the outside leaves from your cabbage, put it in a large kettle of salted water and boil for 10 minutes.
• - Cook bulghur.
  Meanwhile cook bulghur according to the instructions on the package.
  Generally 100g (3 1/2 ounces) are cooked in 250ml (8 fl oz - 1 C) water with a quarter of stock cube.
  Cook over a gentle flame until water is well reduced. Let it cool.
• - Prepare meatloaf mixture.
  Grind or mince finely the chicken breast, raw ham and anchovy fillets and put in a bowl.
  Add chives, bulghur and egg.
  Season to taste with salt and stir accurately with a wooden spoon.
• - Shape your meatloaf.
  When cabbage is cold, detach the leaves intact from the stalk and lay them out on your kitchen table in order to obtain a continuous surface, greater than meatloaf.
  Put the mixture you've obtained in the center and give it a meatloaf shape.
  Roll it up in savoy cabbage leaves then tie up your meatloaf with kitchen string.
• - Cooking.
  Put meatloaf in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil.
  Continue cooking, half-covered, about 45 minutes.

Just before serving

• - At this point remove meatloaf from the pan, take the kitchen string off, drip very well and put on a small tray.
  Serve after few minutes, sliced; don't let it cool!
  If you want, you can dress every slice with extra virgin olive oil.

Note

Tips

• - If you want, you can transfer your meatloaf, once cooked, in a baking pan and bake in a convection oven for a few minutes to dry savoy cabbage.
• - If you want, you can prepare a tomato sauce to spoon on every slice.
• - I cook my meatloaf in other ways too.
  Line a plum-cake mold with cabbage leaves, spoon in the stuffing and close up refolding the edges of cabbage leaves. Cook in a bain-marie for 45 minutes. At this point allow to rest a while, remove the water in excess, turn out of the mold and serve. Or steam it.

Menu planning

• - You can accompany this dish with carrots, steamed and sauteed in olive oil with dried thyme, or mashed potatoes even in low-fat version.
  Complete your meal with a portion of bread (50g - 1 3/4 ounce).
  Don't eat bread if you've chosen mashed potatoes. It's wrong to combine potatoes and bread in the same meal.
• - Meatloaf in savoy cabbage is a perfect choice for your family menu.

Useful links for this recipe

• - As promised, here are the recipe for mashed potatoes and its low-fat version!

Healthy eating

• - Meatloaf in savoy cabbage is low in calories and fat. The secret is in the seasoning which is practically absent because of the cooking method.
  The recipe is ideal for those who must follow a low-fat diet. But it is very tasty as long as you love vegetables.
• - Let me give you a consideration about seasonings. Fats in moderate amounts and well chosen should not be demonized. They are the basis of many cellular structures and vital molecules in the body. The important thing is to opt for unsaturated fats especially olive oi, in controlled amounts.
  For example, I choose this meatloaf when I use too much oil in the other main meal.
• - Fiber per serving: 3.4 grams. Recommended daily intake is 30 grams.

Loretta

What's the right wine for " Meatloaf in savoy cabbage leaves "?

Pair Terre di Franciacorta Bianco (wine from Lombardy) to this meatloaf.