Sou-fassum Provençal

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •5 to 6 quart (4.7 to 5.7 L) deep, narrow cocotte or stockpot with lid
• •24-inch (60 cm) square of unbleached butter muslin, or a double thickness of boil-safe cheesecloth
• •8-inch (20 cm) round bowl for shaping
• •Food-safe kitchen twine
• •Small heatproof plate for keeping the parcel submerged
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the cabbage leaves

   Set out the cabbage prepared according to Blanchings (No. 273) and the white of leek prepared according to Blanchings (No. 273). Peel away 8 to 10 of the largest cabbage leaves without tearing them and trim each thick central rib until it lies nearly flat. Keep one sound leaf for patching. Chop the inner leaves, squeeze them firmly so they carry no loose water, and place them in a wide bowl. The leek's Cisel, a fine and even crosswise cut, lets it disappear through the filling instead of pulling out in strings.

   Drain both vegetables thoroughly. Water trapped in the leaves loosens the filling and dilutes the broth; the prepared cabbage should feel supple, cool and damp, never dripping.
2. 2

   Blanch the rice

   Drop the rice into a small saucepan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain it, rinse briefly with cold water and spread it on a plate to cool. The grains should still be firm and chalky at their centres. They finish cooking inside the cabbage, where they absorb the pork and tomato juices rather than surrendering their starch to the saucepan.

3. 3

   Frizzle bacon and onion

   Set the diced bacon in a cold skillet and raise the heat to medium. Cook until its fat renders and the edges frizzle to a deep bronze, then lift it out with a slotted spoon. Pour off the rendered fat, add the butter and fry the onion gently until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Let both cool before they meet the sausage-meat. Warm ingredients soften pork fat, and a greasy filling never cuts cleanly.

4. 4

   Mix the filling

   Add the cooled leek, sausage-meat, bacon, onion, tomato, garlic, blanched rice and peas to the chopped inner cabbage. Season with the salt and pepper, then mix with open fingers only until everything is evenly distributed. Do not knead it into a paste. Fry a walnut-sized piece until fully cooked and taste it; sausage and bacon vary in salt, so correct the seasoning before the parcel closes. The finished mixture should hold when squeezed but remain visibly coarse.

5. 5

   Rebuild the cabbage

   Line an 8-inch (20 cm) bowl with a double thickness of damp butter muslin, leaving plenty overhanging. Arrange the large cabbage leaves over it like overlapping petals, with their tender ends hanging beyond the rim. Pack in the filling, pressing firmly enough to remove air pockets, then fold the leaves over to enclose it. Gather the muslin, twist until the parcel becomes round and compact, and tie it securely with kitchen twine, leaving just a finger's give for the rice to expand. If a leaf tears or filling peeks through, cover the gap with the reserved leaf and gather the cloth again. Ça se rattrape.

   The cloth replaces the fassumier, but its work is identical: it supports the leaves while allowing broth to pass through. A loose bundle slumps; a parcel cinched like a sausage has no room to swell.
6. 6

   Simmer in broth

   Bring 6 cups (1.4 L) of broth to a bare simmer in a deep, narrow pot. Lower in the parcel with its knot uppermost and add enough remaining broth to cover it. If it floats, hold it beneath the surface with a small heatproof plate. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and keep the liquid at the gentlest tremble for 3½ to 4 hours, adding hot broth whenever the level falls. Hard boiling is not faster; it batters the leaves and tightens the pork. If the knot loosens, lift the parcel into its bowl, gather and retie the cloth, then return it to the broth. It is ready when a thin knife enters the cabbage without resistance and the centre reaches at least 160°F (71°C).

7. 7

   Drain and serve

   Lift the sou-fassum into a colander or onto a rack and let it drain, still wrapped, for 20 minutes. This rest settles the rice and meat so the cabbage can be cut rather than scooped. Snip the twine, open the muslin and invert the round onto a warm circular platter. If a leaf clings to the cloth, moisten it with a spoonful of hot broth and peel the cloth away at a low angle. Serve the sou-fassum whole and plain, then cut it into generous wedges at the table. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask for plain fresh pork sausage-meat with a moderate seasoning and no smoke, fennel or strong herbs. The bacon, garlic and vegetables must still be heard; a heavily seasoned sausage takes over the whole cabbage.
• •Fresh young peas belong here when they are truly sweet. During the rest of the year, frozen peas picked at their peak are the honest choice and need no thawing. Use a ripe tomato in season or a good canned whole tomato, drained and chopped.
• •Mutton broth gives the deepest version of the book's dish, but an unsalted chicken stock is its own permitted ordinary stock and far easier to keep at home. Avoid a dark beef stock, which bullies the cabbage and tomato.
• •Butter muslin is stronger and finer than loose supermarket cheesecloth. If cheesecloth is all you have, double or triple it and inspect it for weak seams before the parcel goes into the pot.
• •Serve with a dry Provençal rosé or a light red, mustard on the side only if the table asks for it. The sou-fassum itself is brought out plain; its cut face is decoration enough.

Advance Preparation

• •The cabbage, leek, rice, bacon and onion can be prepared 1 day ahead and chilled separately. Mix them with the sausage-meat and assemble the parcel shortly before cooking so salt does not draw excess liquid from the vegetables.
• •The sou-fassum may be cooked 1 day ahead. Drain it, keep it wrapped and refrigerate it promptly on a rack over a shallow tray. Once cold, cover it well.
• •Reheat a cooked sou-fassum, still wrapped, in barely simmering broth for 45 to 60 minutes, until the centre reaches 165°F (74°C). Drain for 15 minutes before unwrapping and serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 410g)