Stuffed Cabbage

OK so last week my dad told me they were making stuffed cabbage and that sounded so good, I thought about it all week and decided to give it a go this weekend (mind you mine is made with meat and eggs and they are vegan so, as good as I'm sure their dish was, mine is quite different...)

This was SOOOOO GOOD!  I can't begin to describe.  I wasn't even sure if I liked stuffed cabbage, to be honest, it has been a long time since I had it and who knows where that was and if it was good.  But as much work and care as this recipe took (this is another afternoon-long cooking project), it was worth every second.  Brandon and I ate until we were stuffed.  It is like a Polish (or German or Hungarian) version of meat loaf... but wrapped in cabbage... and the SAUCE is so good... and with mashed potatoes it is like a slice of heaven in every bite... YUM.  I want to eat it now, for lunch, and tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day... HAHAHA no just kidding.  But we do have a lot leftover so we can eat it for another dinner and I can possibly take some for lunch as well this week.  NICE!

I looked at so many recipes and read so many comments, I am not quite sure where my final recipe comes from.  I took what I liked from each and this is what I ended up with.  The sauce is close to the one used by Ina Garten.  It was killer.  I wont change it next time at all.

Ingredients:

1 large head savoy or green cabbage
1 28 oz can sauerkraut (optional)

Filling:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground sausage or pork
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 generous cup COOKED rice
1 tsp. dried thyme

Sauce:

2 T good olive oil
1 cup diced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans crushed tomatoes, with their juices (I used one can crushed tomatoes and 1 can crushed tomato in thick puree)
1/4 cup white vinegar
2-3 T brown sugar
generous pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 T fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1.  With a paring knife, cut out the core of the cabbage, and immerse cabbage head in pot of boiling water.  Boil for about 15 minutes.  Peel off the leaves one at a time with tongs, being careful not to tear them, and set aside.  (I got the largest cabbage head you have ever seen from the farmer's market yesterday... it didn't really fit in my pot at first... but I made out OK!)

Ha! yes it is huge. The picture doesn't do it justice.  Anyways..

2.  Saute the diced onion (1/2 cup) and minced garlic cloves (4-6) for the filling in a T. or so of oil, until translucent (you could probably skip this step but I thought it would add flavor to the filling... like I said... whatever I did worked so I would do this again!)

3.  Meanwhile, start the sauce by heating 2 T. olive oil over medium low heat, and then adding the minced garlic (4 cloves)  and diced onion (1 cup), until softened.

 4.  Add the crushed tomatoes and their juices.

 5.  Then add the vinegar (1/4 cup) and the brown sugar (2-3 T).

6.  Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste, and turn the heat to low.  Let it simmer for about 30-40 minutes while you make the filling.

7.  While sauce is simmering, make the filling.  Combine beef, sausage (or pork), eggs, rice, green peppers, sauteed onion and garlic, bread crumbs, thyme, salt and pepper. 

8.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

9.  Now we can assemble cabbage rolls.  Lay out a cabbage leaf, cut the triangular rib from bottom of leaf. 

10.  Scoop a half cup or so of filling into middle of leaf, across spine, and roll upwards toward top of leaf, folding edges under.

11.  Repeat until all filling is used up.  I ended up with 11 stuffed rolls.

12.  Pour a cup or so of filling in the bottom of a large dutch oven.

 
13.  Pour in sauerkraut (drain it first), if using.

14.  Add a layer of stuffed cabbage rolls, and then cover with more sauce.

15.  Put in remaining rolls, pour in remaining sauce and, if necessary, add water to cover the rolls.

16.  Cover with tight fitting lid and cook at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until meat is cooked.  Mine was done in an hour and 15 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes (trust me) and enjoy!