cabbage and mushroom “lasagna”

In July, because I make no sense at all, I decided to knock an item off my To Cook list that’s been there since 2010, a golden, bubbling, layered dish of mushrooms, cabbage, thinly sliced potatoes bound with abechamelsauce and topped with cheese. Talk about beach eats! But a craving is a craving and I made it with the thought that we could try it, then freeze the rest until that whole December – January zone when the sun sets at approximately 3:32pm and the only way to endure it is to channel some Scandinaviancozinessand make it,like,fashion. Candles! Thick sweaters! Tea, a good book, and soft music. Long-cooked winter vegetables snug in a rich casserole. Instead, over a few days we finished the whole thing because it’s completely amazing. The recipe comes from the Marcus Jernmark, the Swedish chef who, at the time, helmed Aquavit, a high-end Scandinavian restaurant in midtown. The recipe made its way into a column by Elaine Louie that briefly ran in the New York Times called “The Temporary Vegetarian” that I followed with devotion. It’s not like a decade ago was dark times for vegetarians, but this column had a freshness to it, focusing on vegetable-forward and varied dishes with home cooks in mind, a few years before its time. (It later becamea book). Jernmark explained that in the fall in Sweden, they eat cabbage, kale, and mushrooms, and he wanted to turn them into a seasonal, homey take on lasagna. Because I’m a pedant, I’m not entirely sold on the name. It seems as much a potato and vegetable gratin as anything else but I’m leaving it because it’s layered, and I have a thing forlasagnasoutsidethe red sauce and ricotta cheese box, anyway. It’s a bit of work, as can happen when three vegetables and a sauce are involved, but it’s honestly the perfect dish for laying low on a cold weekend: lush but not as nap-inducing as pasta-ed versions. And it’s excellent. The photos don’t do it justice, but it’s cooked cabbage, guys. It’s doing its best. One year ago:Dutch Apple PieTwo years ago:Brussels Sprouts, Apple, and Pomegranate SaladandSpinach Sheet Pan QuicheThree years ago:Pecan PieandRoasted Leek and White Bean GalettesFour years ago:Classic Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Praline SauceandCrispy Sweet Potato RoastFive years ago:Cauliflower with Brown Butter CrumbsandParsley Leaf PotatoesSix years ago:Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon VinaigretteSeven years ago:Dijon-Braised Brussels SproutsEight years ago:Sweet Corn SpoonbreadandApple LatkesNine years ago:Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pie,Creamed SpinachandGingerbread Apple Upside-Down CakeTen years ago:Cranberry Pecan Frangipane Tart,Mustard-Roasted PotatoesandWalnut TartletsEleven years ago:Black Bean Pumpkin Soup,Chicken with Chanterelles and Pearl Onions,Pumpkin WafflesandCream White Polenta with MushroomsTwelve years ago:No-Knead Bread,Tomato and Sausage Risotto,Sundried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms And for the other side of the world:Six Months Ago:Ice Cream Cake RollandGarlic Lime Steak and Noodle Salad1.5 Years Ago:Potatoes AnnaandStrawberry Graham Icebox Cake2.5 Years Ago:Confetti CookiesandRoasted Carrots with Avocado and Yogurt3.5 Years Ago:Toasted Marshmallow MilkshakeandFake Shack Burger4.5 Years Ago:Soft Pretzel Knots and BunsandCarrot Salad with Tahini and Crisped Chickpeas