Rocco eases the blechh of unloved cabbage

Associated Press

Stuffing cabbage with beef, zucchini and herbs is how chef Rocco DiSpirito suggests dressing up that often bland but healthy veggie. Associated Press

"We won't touch some nutritious foods because we think they taste bad," senior nutrition editor Tula Karras says in the October issue of Self magazine.

Our attitudes form early — dating back to dismal helpings of leatherlike cabbage served up in grade school — and they're hard to change.

The magazine issued a challenge to Rocco DiSpirito, of NBC's TV series "The Restaurant": Take bad-rap foods and make us want to eat them.

His secret? Balancing sweet, salty, bitter and sour flavors until the combinations captivate the taste buds.

"I like to experiment with flavors, what I call the voice of foods, overlapping them until a different taste emerges," says DiSpirito, whose first cookbook, "Flavor" (Hyperion), is scheduled to be published this November.

DiSpirito's recipes may win you over.

Rocco's remedy for cabbage, zucchini and eggplant: cabbage stuffed with beef, zucchini and herbs.

The health benefits: vitamin C in raw cabbage; magnesium from the zucchini; eggplant offers fiber.

Testers said: "Hearty and tasty," and "The beef masked the flavor of the cabbage."

Any detractors? A few found the dish bland. The easy fix is more salt and pepper.

Cabbage Stuffed with Beef, Zucchini and Herbs

• 2 cabbages or Napa cabbages (1 1/2 pound each)
• 1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small zucchini, finely diced
• 1 large tomato, finely diced
• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 small eggplant, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 6 ounces lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh basil, parsley and thyme
• 1/4 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut cabbages in half from top to base. Cut out core; discard. Pull out inner leaves of each half, leaving 3 outer layers (reserve). Finely slice inner leaves.

Heat broth and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium sauté pan on medium. Add vegetables (plus sliced cabbage), garlic and beef. Cook until vegetables are tender and meat is browned; add herbs; place in cabbage halves. Mix butter with bread crumbs; place on top of cabbage; drizzle remaining oil on top. Bake until tender, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 383 calories, 21.5 g total fat (7 g saturated fat), 38.5 g carbohydrates, 16.5 g protein, 13.5 g fiber.

Rocco's remedy for eggplant and tofu: eggplant and tofu stack.

The health benefits: Tofu is a source of iron, calcium and protein. Eggplant has fiber, vitamin A and potassium.

Testers said: "Tasted like stir-fried tofu"; "Fabulous — better than I expected."

Any detractors? Rocco's mother, Niccolina (aka Mama), who helps out in the kitchen: "I won't eat tofu, even if it's Rocco's recipe."

Eggplant and Tofu Stack

• 1 small eggplant
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small Vidalia (or Maui) onion, diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon each chopped chives and parsley
• 2 blocks firm tofu (3 to 4 ounces each)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg and 1 egg white

Using a fork, poke holes in eggplant and rub with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven at 350 F until eggplant collapses (40 minutes to an hour). Remove and cool; scrape out insides and discard skin.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch sauté pan on low. Add onion, red pepper, shallots and garlic; cover and sauté until tender. Add eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all liquid evaporates. Transfer to a bowl and cool. Add chives and parsley.

Slice tofu lengthwise so each block is 1 inch thick. Cut the blocks into six 2-inch squares. Spread a 12-inch-wide piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Place one slice of tofu on the plastic wrap. Season with salt and pepper and spread about a quarter of the eggplant mixture across the top. Add another layer of tofu, season and repeat until you have two layers of eggplant and three layers of tofu. Cover stack with plastic wrap.

Repeat to make second stack. Place both stacks on a plate, chill 2 hours, remove and unwrap.

Place flour in a medium-sized bowl. Beat eggs in another medium-sized bowl. Dip each stack in flour, then egg, then flour again, coating all sides each time. Heat remaining oil (or more if necessary) in a pan on medium-high. Saute stacks on all sides (2 or 3 minutes per side) until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 497 calories, 23 g total fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 55 g carbohydrates, 22.5 g protein, 10 g fiber.

Source: Self magazine October issue