I grew up in a diverse neighborhood. I feel lucky to have been exposed to many types of ethnic foods from an early age. Potluck dinners at my neighborhood church included Greek moussaka, Italian lasagna, and Norwegian lefsa bread. My favorite foods growing up were made by my best friend Linda’s mom, Jo Luka.

Jo cooked Lebanese dishes that her mom, Linda’s grandmother, used to make. She learned to prepare Polish dishes to please her husband. What a great combination of culinary heritage. Since I grew up in a transplanted Midwestern farm family, the Lebanese food was very exotic to me. There was a notable absence of potatoes, a staple in my diet.

At Linda’s house I was served hamburger and rice, kibbeh (sometimes made with raw ground lamb!) and Lebanese-style stuffed cabbage.

Hamburger and rice might sound simple, but ground meat is transformed when combined with onion, tomatoes, cinnamon and allspice. To this day when Linda and I get together I ask her to make me that dish.

Another staple at the Luka home was stuffed cabbage. That is the dish that taught me to appreciate and love cabbage. In my family we ate something called boiled dinner. Boiled potatoes, cabbage, onions, and corned beef that was cooked until it all kind of blended together. I feigned a stomachache every time my mom made it. Giving my mom some credit here, she was an excellent cook. Other people loved her boiled dinner, just not me.

Stuffed cabbage has roots in many different countries. There is a French version, a Russian version, a Polish version, and a Turkish one. I still like the Lebanese stuffed cabbage the best — hamburger and rice rolled up in cabbage and simmered in tomato sauce with lots of happy memories thrown in for good measure.

So, here I am walking around the market in 2009 looking for inspiration for this column and I see a cabbage. It is winter and cold.

How can I use the cabbage to make a hearty, tasty meal?

Then I see that Dan Macon has ground lamb. I keep walking and I see onions. I still have rice in the fridge from Thao’s farm.

Voila! I can make stuffed cabbage just like Jo Luka used to make. This is a very timely meal as it is hearty, healthy, and inexpensive. Great way to start off the New Year.

As for the cabbage, this is another one of those vegetables you just have to try. If you have only eaten it boiled, you are missing a great food. Give it another try.

Just a reminder we have two markets that are open year round. Auburn Old Town and Roseville Fountains are both going strong. Love to see you there! P.S. Happy 17th birthday Amelia. Thank you for being such a wonderful daughter.

Carol Arnold is the Foothill Farmers’ Market Association marketing manager. Contact her at Foothill

farmersmarket@gmail.com.

Jo Luka’s Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

1 medium to large cabbage

For the filling:

1 pound ground lamb or beef

1 cup long grain rice

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon dried mint, or 2 heaping teaspoons fresh, chopped (divided use)

For the sauce:

1 pound lamb riblets

2/3 cup lemon juice

8 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped

1 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes

Core the cabbage. Separate the leaves. Dip leaves in boiling water for about 1 minute or until soft. They should be pliable but not mushy. Let drain and cool while you prepare the filling. Mix the ground meat, rice, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and mint together to create the filling. To assemble the cabbage rolls, place the lamb ribs in the bottom of an 8-quart, cook top safe, Dutch oven. Place a cabbage leaf on a large cutting board. Cut out the tough center rib. Place about one to two tablespoons of the filling in ½ of a large, or one whole small, cabbage leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf into each other. Next roll the cabbage into a cigar shape starting with the filling end. You should have a small, tight, sealed bundle. Neatness does not count. You can use pieces of cabbage to patch and it won’t hurt if the size of the rolls varies a little bit. Place the rolls on top of the ribs. After you have a complete layer, place four garlic cloves and half of the tomatoes and sauce, crushed with your hands, over the rolls. Sprinkle with one teaspoon of fresh mint. Repeat. Pour the lemon juice over the rolls, and add water to completely cover about 1 inch deep. Salt the mixture. Bring to a boil on your cook top, cover with an upside down salad plate, and cover the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, 15 minutes. To serve, place two or three rolls in a bowl with some sauce, and add a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.