1 medium head white cabbage, thinly sliced with a knife or mandoline
zest and juice from 2 small lemons (see note)
1 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups Arborio rice
¼ cup dry white wine
6 cups hot vegetable broth, plus more if needed
parsley or other herbs for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
Pound the cashews in a mortar and pestle or process in a mini food processor, until finely ground. Add the nutritional yeast, a generous pinch of salt, and plenty of black pepper. Mix to combine. Set aside for now.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to generously coat the bottom. Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt, and cook for 10 minutes, until the cabbage is just wilted. Add the juice of 1 lemon and stir it in. Turn the heat down to low, and cover the skillet. Cook the cabbage, covered, for 45 minutes, stirring periodically, until very soft. Transfer the cabbage to a bowl and wipe the skillet if needed.
Heat the same skillet over medium heat and add more oil to coat the bottom well. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, saute for 7 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and stir it around until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice and mix well to coat it with the oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice grains are translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the juice of 1 remaining lemon and the wine, bring it up to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Start adding the hot broth, one ladleful at a time. Bring the broth to a simmer and let it absorb into the rice, stirring often, about 2-4 minutes. Once absorbed, add another ladleful of broth and keep repeating this process of letting the broth absorb, then adding more. Stir the rice frequently and vigorously - this will help develop the starches/make the rice creamy. Add about half of the cabbage during the 4th addition of broth. Add the rest of the cabbage at the next addition of broth, and continue cooking, until the rice is creamy and al dente, and until the cabbage has collapsed completely into the risotto. The whole cooking process should take 25-30 minutes total from the first addition of broth. Turn off the heat, mix in the lemon zest and most of the cashew mixture, saving some for garnishing. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Serve the risotto right away, garnished with more of the cashew dust and herbs, if using.
Notes
This dish is quite lemony, so if you are sensitive to sour flavors, use 1 lemon, divided between the cabbage and the rice, instead of the 2 lemons that the recipe calls for.
Recipe by Golubka Kitchen at https://golubkakitchen.com/cabbage-and-lemon-risotto/