Cabbage Rolls

[SilverLining]

Every year it's the same thing....I cannot find my recipe for cabbage rolls.  I was positive I posted it at the old site....but I cannot find it.

I use ground beef~~~ground pork~~~rice~~~stewed tomatoes.

Other then that, it's hit & miss every year.

Making them this afternoon.  Hopefully they turn out.

[GoingNuts]

Right now I'm on a mission to eradicate my kitchen of Indian Meal Moths.  I'll try to post my recipe later.  Possibly different from yours, it's a pretty traditional Eastern European sweet/sour sauce.

[SilverLining]

I actually found the recipe that I kinda/sorta follow.  Never the same twice. lol

I had printed it from our old-old home.  (As opposed to our new-old home.)  Not sure who posted it there (might have been me).  I only know it wasn't from Cooking Mom....because her recipes always say kosher salt....and this recipe just says salt.

[CookingMom]

I only know it wasn't from Cooking Mom....because her recipes always say kosher salt....

Very observant...   

[SilverLining]

Again...couldn't find my recipe.  So, now that I fund it, I'm reposting.


1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1 egg

2 cups rice

some of my home made stewed tomatoes (they are a bit spicey with onion and red and green peppers)

bit of garlic (forgot to put garlic in the stewed tomatoes

Mixed all of the above together.

In roasting pan - put a bit of stewed tomatoes, then a layer of cabbage, then another layer of tomatoes. Placed cabbage rolls on top of that, followed by stewed tomatoes, cabbage leaves, stewed tomatoes.

Used all remaining ingredients and made a *cabbage roll caserole* in another dish.

Baked in oven for 1 1/2 hours at 350 d.

*********

What I will do differently next time: use the big roasting pan.

Also, they were a bit dry. Not extremely dry - but a little bit. Probably should have kept some of the tomatoes for basting. But, I used an entire large mason jar.

[SilverLining]

I'm also copying GoingNuts recipe.  (Hers comes with ammunition  )

GN, if you object, let me I know and I'll delete.

I'm warning you, I rarely cook by recipes, so be prepared to improvise. It's also hard for me to give a recipe when I'm not actually doing it, so, here goes.

This is also a Polish Stuffed Cabbage, as my family makes it.

Head of Cabbage (the leaves are easier to work with if you freeze the cabbage for a day or so, then let it thaw)

2 Tbsp. oil

2 onions, sliced

3 cups canned tomatoes or tomato sauce (I've also used a jar of marinara sauce in a pinch)

a couple of teaspoons salt (2-3)

pepper to taste

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 cup uncooked quick cooking rice

1/2 small grated onion (I've used 1 tsp. onion powder instead)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 egg

less than 1/4 cup cold water

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup golden raisins
---------------------------------------------

If you freeze the cabbage, it is not necessary to cook the leaves. Remove about 12 large leaves, rinse and pat dry.

Lightly brown the sliced onion in oil. Add the tomato sauce, some of the salt and pepper. Simmer for 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, mix together the meat, eggs, grated onion (or onion powder), garlic powder, rice and water.

Place some of the meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Tuck together like a taco, and roll up. Place seam side down into pot with the sauce. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Add the lemon juice and sugar (some people also use honey or cranberry sauce) and raisins. Cook about 30 minutes longer.

[becca]

Oh, I have been wanting to make cabbage rolls!  We were given a large meal of them on the last night in New York.  A neighbor sent them when nephew came home from the hospital.  They had way too much rice and were mushy-ish, but we all ate them.    It was still good, but I really cannot do so much rice and they just were not as meaty as any of us were used to. 

So, Now I have a couple of recipes to morph.  A sweeter sauce appeals to me, and I was considering using some ground lamb, or a combo with it.  Also trying to think of a lower carb filler besides rice, maybe quinoa.  But I get that the rice holds them together, and other grains may not.  Anyway, thanks! 

Can one add some sauteed veggies(maybe some sateed onions and cabbage), rather than rice, to make them low carb?  That might add moisture as well.   

[SilverLining]

Googling I found this recipe which uses lamb and potato..

http://www.petesgreens.com/recipes/item/1877-potato-stuffed-cabbage-rolls-in-tomato-sauce/1877-potato-stuffed-cabbage-rolls-in-tomato-sauce

Potato Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce

Part Eastern European, part Turkish, these stuffed rolls are a pleasant departure from cabbage slaws, braises and soups. The cooked ground lamb in the rolls is optional and can be omitted or easily replaced with crumbled tempeh or roasted roots. Serves 3-4.

6 cabbage leaves
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 lb. chevre
1/2 cup milk
1/2 lb. cooked, ground lamb (optional)
2 tsp sunflower oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 cup tomato puree
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Cook potatoes and garlic in salted, boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes, saving the hot cooking water in a pan. Mash the potatoes with cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Mix in cooked, ground lamb (optional). Set aside.

In a large skillet saute onion in oil. Add tomato sauce and spices and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce comes together and thickens slightly. Set aside.

Dip a cabbage leaf into the hot potato water until softened, then drain. Spoon about 1/4 cup of potato mixture into the center of the leaf. Roll tightly and place in an oiled baking dish, making sure the seam side faces down. Repeat with remaining leaves. Pour tomato sauce on top of the rolls. Cover with foil and bake until rolls are cooked through and sauce is bubbling, about 25-35 minutes.

[becca]

Sounds yummy, but potatoes are still high carb.  Low carb is my goal.  I have to google around.  I am sure there is a low carb recipe for cabbage rolls. 

Here we go:  It has rice as optional. 

http://ditchthewheat.com/low-carb-cabbage-rolls/

[GoingNuts]

Rice is totally optional. During Passover they are made without rice. 

[becca]

I have assembled the mother-load of cabbage rolls.  I hope my dutch oven does not boil over.  Going to get them hot on the stove and them stick them in the oven to braise for awhile.  Just to get them going quicker.  Could have tried the crock pot, but already in the pan.  I read lots of recipes and used ground lamb, a bit of quinoa as a binder, and sauteed onions, celery, garlic and a bit of carrot, chopped some of the extra middle parts of the cabbage.  Mixed all that with 2 pounds of grond lamb and 2 eggs.  Sweetened up my tomatoes with a bit of brown sugar. 

That is about it.  Will heat sauce to use separately if needed.  Not much extra in the pot, but I assume the juices will come out of the meat and cabbage too.   

[GoingNuts]

I'd like to do s a vegetarian version that does not contain soy.

[becca]

I was poking around and found veggie and vegan versions with lentils, and some with rice and mushrooms.  I think you can really invent anything here.  As long as it sticks together a bit and you can roll it in a cabbage leaf!

[Mookie86]

becca, if any of them are easy to make, I'd be interested in learning how to make vegetarian ones.

[SilverLining]

You don't have to be ale to roll it.  I've layered it and made it a casserole.