Extremely sunny weather in November, it gives you energy to cope with this surrealistic 2020, the year in which the whole world is influenced by Covid19 and the awesome news of the presidential election in US.
My sister in law, Sofie, as my eldest daughter, Lisbet, decide to decorate their houses in Christmas atmosphere, as other people probably have outside barbecues this weekend.
The outer leaves of a big Savoy cabbage are waiting in the fridge. I covered them with a damp towel to keep them fresh (and it works).
For this recipe ( good for 3-4p) you need 6 big leaves. Steam the leaves for 5 minutes in the microwave. Dry them with kitchen paper. As protein source I will experiment with mung beans. Soak 100 grams of the beans for at least 6h. Drain. Boil in salted water ( with some bay lraves) for approximately 30mins, until ready. Boil 100 grams of farro in salted water until al dente.
Chop and fry 4 garlic cloves, 1 chili and 300 grams of white celery stems in a drizzle of olive oil. Add 1 table spoon of savory and 2 teaspoons
of cumin seeds. Bake for a few minutes. Stop the fire. Mix with the mung beans and farro. Season with pepper, salt. Add a few table spoons of fresh chopped parsley.
Put some baking paper or cling film in salad bowl. Brush some olive oil on the sheets. Cover with the big leaves and keep 1 leaf to cover.Cover with a dish. Store in the fridge. Before dinner, make a cheesy sauce with a twist (or without if you prefer). Melt 1 large table spoon of butter in a sauce pan. Add 1 large table spoon of flour. Stir constantly with a whisk. Once the mixture starts smelling like cookies, add 600 ml of semi skimmed milk while stirring. Add 1 teaspoon of baharat spices, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 2 teaspoons of dried vegetal stock powder and a pinch of cayenne. Once boiling stop the fire. Taste, add pepper and salt. Mix with 40 grams of grated gruyere ( keep some for the finishing touch).
Put the big timbal with its flat side ona round oven dish ( a bit bigger than the timbal). Cover with the sauce. Finish with some grated gruyere. Bake in tbe oven at 180° for 30-40 minutes.