These Corned Beef and Caramelized Cabbage Filo Bundles are a great way to use all those delicious leftovers you might have from St. Patrick’s day, which is coming up next Tuesday. Sautéed vegetables are mixed with diced corned beef to create an amazing filling for crispy filo pastry bundles. Serve these with my horseradish and mustard sauce, or, just a good whole-grain mustard, and watch them disappear!
While corned beef and cabbage is not typically found in Mediterranean cooking, filo dough is, and this recipe is a way to “think outside the box” when wondering how to use filo dough. Once you make this absolutely delicious recipe, I hope that you start to experiment with other ways that you might be able to stretch ingredients and combine them with versatile filo to make your own unique and tasty creations!
Ingredients for Corned Beef and Caramelized Cabbage Filo Bundles
Besides the cooked corned beef and the vegetables, you will need a package of filo pastry to form the filo bundles. It is amazing how a simple ingredient, such as a package of filo pastry, can transform leftovers to an irresistible dish like this!
- Filo Pastry: a good quality all purpose filo, defrosted overnight (I used Fillo Factory for this recipe)
- Cabbage: about 1/4 of a small head, cut into thin wedges
- Leek: one small leek, thinly sliced (you can also use a red onion, if you do not have a leek handy)
- Garlic: just one or two garlic garlic cloves
- Potato: one medium Russet potato
- Carrots: two small carrots
- Olive oil: lots of extra virgin olive oil for sautéeing the vegetables and for brushing on the filo
- Corned beef: just 6 oz. cooked corned beef (or sliced, if purchased from the deli)
- Seasoning: sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and dried mustard
- Optional Topping: caraway seeds to sprinkle on top of the bundles
- Optional accompaniments: whole-grain mustard, or, horseradish-mustard sauce
For this recipe I use fresh vegetables. If you have leftover potatoes, cabbage and carrots from your St. Patrick’s meal, however, you can certainly use those instead. Even if they are fully cooked, I would still suggest to chop them and sauté them in a hot skillet, to give them some caramelization and more flavor.
How to make the Corned Beef and Caramelized Cabbage Filo Bundles
- Cut the cabbage into wedges and sear on both sides in a hot skillet to caramelize it. This step will concentrate the flavors and lend a slight sweetness to the overall dish. While you sear the cabbage wedges, prep the other vegetables.
- Cook all the vegetables until they are softened and nicely caramelized.
3. Add the diced, cooked corned beef to the bowl with the vegetables.
4. Place one sheet of filo on a large cutting board with its shortest side in front of you. Brush with some olive oil. Repeat with a second sheet of filo, brushed with olive oil as well. Cut the stack of two sheets of filo in half vertically and then again horizontally. Cut each quarter in half horizontally, so you have 8 equal rectangles.
5. Place four of the rectangles on top of the other four halves at right angles to form a cross shape. Top the center of each one with two tablespoons of the filling.
6. Lift each one and place it in the hole of the oiled muffin tin, easing it in with your fingers and making certain not to tear it. Gather the edges of filo and gently scrunch them together to seal the bundle. Continue with the rest, until you form 24 bundles and you have used most of the filling.
7. Gently brush the tops of each bundle with some olive oil and bake for 20 minutes or until the bundles are crispy and golden brown.
8. Remove them to a cooling rack.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature with some good whole grain mustard, or, with a simple horseradish-mustard sauce.
Horseradish-mustard sauce
These delicious little bites pair very well with some whole grain mustard. You can also serve them with a simple horseradish-mustard sauce that you can make ahead. This delectible sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for one week.
To make it, just mix together the following ingredients, cover, and refrigerate until you need it.
- 1 cup of sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- 2 TBSP. prepared horseradish
- 1 TBSP.of whole grain mustard
- 2 TBSP. minced chives
- 2 TBSP. minced dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
This new recipe is my newest collaboration with my favorite filo brand, Fillo Factory. You can find their filo dough at many grocery stores, including Whole Foods and smaller local stores. I love the quality of the Fillo Factory products and I always make sure to have a couple of boxes in the freezer!
- 1 package, good quality all-purpose filo, defrosted (I used Fillo Factory)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (for the vegetables and for the filo)
- ¼ a small head of cabbage cut into thin wedges (about 8oz.)
- 1 small leek, thinly sliced (about 5 oz.)
- 1 medium Russet potato, diced into ½” pieces (about 6oz.)
- 2 small carrots, chopped (about 2 oz.)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp. sea salt & ½ tsp.freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp. dried mustard
- 6 oz. cooked corned beef, cut into small cubes (or sliced, if from the deli)
- Bring filo to room temperature. Remove the defrosted filo package from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you start to assure that it is at room temperature.
- Caramelize the cabbage. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Cut the cabbage into thin wedges, season it with salt and pepper, and sear the wedges well on both sides. Caramelizing the cabbage will concentrate the flavors and lend a slight sweetness to the overall dish.
- Prep the vegetables. While the cabbage is cooking, prep the rest of the vegetables and set them aside.
- Cook the vegetables. Remove the seared cabbage wedges from the skillet and let them cool. To the same skillet, add a couple more tablespoons of olive oil, then toss in the leeks, potatoes and carrots. Season with some salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. While the vegetables cook, cut the caramelized cabbage into ribbons or into ½” pieces. Add them back into the skillet, along with the garlic and the dried mustard and sauté again until all vegetables are softened and nicely caramelized. Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt and pepper as needed. Move them to a bowl and let the mixture cool.
- Prep the corned beef. Dice the already cooked corned beef and add it to the bowl with the vegetables.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Prep the muffin tin. Brush some olive oil on a 24-cup muffin tin and set it aside.
- Get the filo ready. Remove the filo from its package and unroll the sheets. Place one sheet of filo on a large cutting board, with its shortest side in front of you and brush it with some olive oil. Repeat with a second sheet of filo, brush that with olive oil as well. (Keep the rest of the filo well covered, so it does not dry out.)
- Assemble the bundles. Cut the stack of two sheets of filo in half vertically and then again horizontally. Cut each quarter in half horizontally (like in the photo), so you have 8 equal rectangles. Place four of the rectangles on top of the other four halves at right angles to form a cross shape. Top the center of each one with two tablespoons of the filling (the filling will shrink during baking). Lift each one and place it in the hole of the oiled muffin tin, easing it in with your fingers and making certain not to tear it. Gather the edges of filo and gently scrunch them together to seal the bundle. Continue with the rest, until you form 24 bundles and you have used all the filling. Depending on the size of your tin, you might have to use it twice, to bake all the bundles. (Note: you may have some leftover filling, which is delicious heated separately, or, served with an egg the next morning for breakfast).
- Bake. Brush gently the tops of each bundle with some olive oil and bake for 20 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Let them sit for 10 minutes in the tin before you remove them to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with some good whole grain mustard, or, with some horseradish-mustard sauce (see recipe in notes).
--- Use a large skillet so the vegetables have the space to brown nicely
--- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place on a small pan, and in a 300° F oven for about 10 minutes or, until crispy.
--- To make the simple horseradish-mustard sauce, mix together: 1 cup of sour cream (or Greek yogurt), 2 TBSP. prepared horseradish, 1 TBSP. whole grain mustard, 2 TBSP. minced chives, 2 TBSP. minced dill, salt and pepper to taste.
THANK YOU FOR READING AND FOLLOWING ALONG!
Your support for my blog is greatly appreciated, please consider reviewing and rating my recipes!
What a fun recipe. I love this!
Thank you, Angela, I hope you give it a try!