Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Many thanks to Helen Greenaway for the recipe! Helen is the owner of Boxed Bites 2 Go located in East Cobb. If you’re looking for event catering, grazing tables, workshops, corporate catering & gifting or something special for yourself, Helen offers complimentary customizations to help create the table that will be the talk of the party! boxedbites2go.com

Ingredients

• 1 large head cabbage

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• ½ cup minced onion

• 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce

• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

• ¾ cup water

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 pound ground beef or chicken 

• 1 cup uncooked white rice

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon ground allspice

• 1 medium lemon

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in 4 teaspoons salt. Remove loose, outer leaves from the cabbage and place in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from the water and set aside.

Remove core from the cabbage and carefully place the head in the boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes, removing the outer leaves one at a time as they loosen every minute. Set aside 12 large leaves and reserve inner portion of the cabbage for another use.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Set aside 2 tablespoons minced onion for cabbage rolls; add remaining onion to the hot oil. Cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, water, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees 

Prepare cabbage rolls: Mix beef, rice, garlic, reserved minced onion, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, pepper, and allspice together in a bowl until well combined.

Place a softened cabbage leaf on a cutting board and remove the bottom, tough portion of the stem. Place about 3 tablespoons meat filling into the center of the leaf. Fold the sides inward and roll the leaf up tightly, like a burrito or spring roll. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

Pour 1 cup tomato sauce mixture in a bottom of a 9x13-inch or 11x7-inch baking dish. Place cabbage rolls, seam-side down, in the baking dish and pour remaining sauce on top. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Lightly squeeze a wedge of lemon over each serving and garnish with parsley.