Greek Cabbage Rice (Lahanorizo)

Lahanorizo is a simple yet comforting Greek dish made with tender cabbage, rice, and a rich tomato-infused broth.

Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage (medium, about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 onion (large, diced)
• 1 leek (thinly sliced, white parts only)
• 3 carrots (medium, thinly sliced)
• 1 stalk celery (thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup rice (medium grain Arborio or Carnaroli)
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
• ground black pepper

Cookware

• wide pot with a lid

Steps

1. Prep the veggies. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage, halve, core, then slice it into 1 centimeter thick strips.

2. Sauté the veggies. In a wide pot with a lid, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and leek, cooking until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in carrots and celery, season with kosher salt, and cover. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Cook for 1 minute, then add Sweet Spanish paprika if using.

3. Cook the cabbage. Add the sliced cabbage to the pot along with bay leaves and 1 cup of water. The cabbage will seem like a lot, but it will wilt as it cooks. Sprinkle with salt, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20- 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If the pot looks dry, add water. Once the cabbage is softened, continue cooking for another 10 minutes, if needed, until fully tender. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a separate pot or kettle.

4. Add the rice. After 20-25 minutes, the cabbage should be wilted and softened. If the cabbage is still relatively crunchy, cook for an additional 10 minutes or until it is soft. Stir in rice, and season with a big pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Add boiling water. Mix through and taste the cooking liquid. It should be well-salted at this stage.

5. Cover and cook. Place the lid on the pot and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Open the lid and check if the stew has enough liquid; add another 1 cup water if you want it saucier. Stir and immediately remove from heat, keeping the lid on for 10 minutes.

6. Finish and serve. Stir in the juice of lemon, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Top with feta cheese and ground black pepper.