Pierogi, Cabbage & Chimichurri

The team name: Shark’s Glitter (yes, possessive). The dish: Pierogi-Wan-Kenobi.

On Wednesday afternoons throughout the winter, a school bus pulled up to the Inn’s backdoors with four Shelburne Community School students — Michael, Olen, John, and Thomas — in tow. The middle schoolers joined Shelburne Farms chefs John Patterson and Matthew Merrifield and educator Hannah Corbin in the kitchen to prepare for the Jr Iron Chef VT competition.

The culinary competition brings together teams of students from across the state, challenging them to develop and cook a dish inspired by local produce. Although the rules of the competition are strict, the team left plenty of room for creativity, experimentation, and fun.

For their recipe, the team landed on pierogi, a stuffed boiled dumpling, and tried lots of different fillings before deciding on potato, onion, and cheese. “We tried mashed sweet potato, parsnips, and caramelized celery root,” shares Matthew. “Pierogi are a great use of root vegetables, the starchier the better. But you can fill the dough with any pre-cooked mixture.”

The team pulled off their dish on the day of the competition with flying colors: everything made it to the plates on time, and everyone worked together as a team. As one parent said as the boys were preparing their final dish, “It’s a proud mom moment.”

Try the Shark’s Glitter’s recipe yourself, and don’t be afraid to go off-script and use up those last CSA root veggies hiding in the back of your refrigerator.

Ingredients

Pierogi Dough

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1.5 cups water
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 teaspoons salt

Potato Filling

• 2 cups mashed potatoes (about two large potatoes),  peeled, boiled, and mashed
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ¼  cup caramelized onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• Salt to taste

Melted Cabbage

• 1 head of cabbage
• 2 tablespoons of canola oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt to taste

Sour Cherry Chimichurri 

• 1 cup pitted dried sour cherries, chopped
• 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼  cup red wine vinegar
• ½  cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt to taste
   

Method

Pierogi Dough & Shaping

1. Make sure you have a clean table or countertop to work on. Put some flour on it so the dough won’t stick.
2. In a big bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Make a hole in the middle of the flour and add the eggs into it. Pour in the oil and 1 cup of water. Use a spoon or your hands to mix everything together until it looks like dough. If it's too dry, add a little more water.
3. Take the dough out of the bowl and put it on the floured surface. Squish and stretch the dough with your hands for a few minutes until it feels smooth and stretchy.
4. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover it with a clean cloth or plastic wrap. Let it sit for about 30 minutes.
5. After resting, take the dough and roll it into a ¼ inch sheet.
6. Use a cup or a cookie cutter to make circles out of the dough.
7. Put a spoonful of your  filling in the middle of each circle. Fold the circle in half over the filling to make a half-moon shape. Pinch the edges together with your fingers or a fork to seal it shut.

Potato Filling

1. Prepare the mashed potatoes by boiling peeled potatoes until fork-tender. Drain and mash them in a bowl until smooth.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, whole grain mustard, red wine vinegar, and sour cream.
3. Season the filling mixture with salt to taste. Mix well to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Allow the filling mixture to cool before using it to fill the pierogi dough.

Cooking the Pierogi

1. Fill a large pot with water. Make sure there's enough water to cover the perogies completely. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
2. Carefully add the perogies to the boiling water. Stir gently to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
3. Let the pierogi cook for about 5-7 minutes or until they float to the surface. This indicates they're fully cooked. Use a slotted spoon to remove.
4. You can serve them as they are, or sauté them in butter or oil in a skillet for a crispy texture before serving.

Sour Cherry Chimichurri

1. On a clean cutting board, finely chop cherries, parsley, and garlic.
2. In a bowl, mix chopped the chopped mixture with olive oil, vinegar, and red pepper. Season with salt and serve alongside the pierogi.

Melted Cabbage

1. On a clean cutting board slice cabbage very thin.
2. On low heat, heat canola oil. Add cabbage season with salt. Cook on a very low heat until cabbage is tender and slightly transparent. 
3. Add vinegar and continue to cook another 5–10 minutes.
4. Serve alongside the pierogi.