HAYMITCH-INSPIRED CABBAGE CASSEROLE

SERVES 8

Katniss couldn’t stand the way Haymitch’s home smelled of meat and cabbage. Perhaps he often cooked something like this recipe.

This casserole is a great dish to whip up on nights when you don’t have much time to fuss. It also freezes well, so make an extra pan of it to save for another day.

5 CABBAGE LEAVES

1 TABLESPOON VEGETABLE OR OLIVE OIL

1 POUND CUBED, COOKED HAM

1 ONION, CHOPPED

1 PARSNIP, SHREDDED

1 CARROT, SHREDDED

1 STALK CELERY, THINLY SLICED

1 TABLESPOON TOMATO PASTE

1 CUP INSTANT RICE, UNCOOKED

4 CUPS TOMATO SAUCE, DIVIDED

1 CUP SHREDDED CHEESE SUCH AS CHEDDAR OR MONTEREY JACK, DIVIDED

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large stock pot with water. When the water boils, add the cabbage leaves and cook until they are pliable, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and cook the onions.

Add parsnips, carrot and celery; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in tomato paste, rice, 3 cups tomato sauce and ¾ cup cheese mixture.

Drain cabbage and dry well. Remove the vein from the middle of each leaf.

Pour ½ cup of the remaining tomato sauce into a 3-liter round casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray or greased with olive oil.

Layer with 1 cabbage leaf, the ham and 2 cups rice mixture; repeat layers 3 times.

Top with remaining cabbage leaf, remaining sauce and cheese, then cover.

Bake 1 hour 10 minutes, uncovering after 1 hour to let cheese lightly brown.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.