Author Notes: Kasha is a childhood comfort food, a fixture from my mother’s immigrant family – great depression era youth. Cabbage wasn’t cooked in my mother’s kitchen, but cookbooks have taught me ways to love this peasant food. Chorizo is a newer favorite as my travel-through-cooking expands into the spicy world flavors. Tasty, healthy, simple, I enjoy this recipe as a new comfort food.
My version is both vegetarian and gluten-free; you should use the sausage and pasta that suit your preference and taste. —susan g
Serves: 2 -3
Ingredients
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1
tablespoon olive oil
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1/2
onion, sliced (as big as you like)
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8
ounces green cabbage, sliced about 1/4 inch wide
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1/2
cup kasha — whole
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1 – 2
chorizo links, or other smoky and/or spicy sausage
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1
cup water, heated
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2
ounces short twisted pasta
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salt, pepper
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan with a cover. Saute the onion until it starts to soften. Add the cabbage, stir until it starts to wilt. Then add the kasha, stirring to let it toast a bit.
- Cut the sausage lengthwise, then in slices. Add to the pan, stirring to let all the flavors interact until it is fragrant.
- Pour in the heated water, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer 15 minutes, or until the kasha is cooked.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, then drain. Gently combine the pasta with the kasha pot contents. Season with salt and (generously) fresh ground pepper.
- NOTE: For a vegetarian version I use Tofurkey Chorizo; for gluten-free, Ancient Harvest Quinoa Garden Pagodas.