Cabbage Rolls

While cleaning up the kitchen one afternoon, I had the TV on. I flipped around the channels, came to PBS and stopped at “Lidia’s Italian Table”, featuring Lidia Bastianich. I love watching her cook. Sadly, many of her recipes don’t work for me, but that day, she was making cabbage rolls. I make cabbage rolls!

As she cooked, I listened with half an ear, looking occasionally at the TV as I continued cleaning up. She started to talk about the prepping of her cabbage leaves. I stopped washing dishes and watched what she was doing. She had me captivated. She was using an Italian cabbage, but I was pretty sure her tips would work with the cabbage I had in my fridge. (I had just a basic green, round cabbage you can pick up at any grocery store.) At the end of her show, my mind was blown! She had just passed on some awesome tips on prepping the cabbage for cabbage rolls.

After I’d finished cleaning up the kitchen, I proceeded to make a new mess – a dinner of delicious (and pleasing to the eye) cabbage rolls; using Lidia’s tips for the cabbage prep and my own recipe for the tomato sauce to cook them in.

Her tips:

After carefully peeling the individual leaves off the cabbage head, trim the spine on each leaf.

What I did: First I carefully peeled off 6 individual leaves. Next, using a paring knife, I carefully shaved the spine down, so it was flush with the rest of the leaf; careful not to take too much off, thus splitting the leaf in half. I did this to all 6 leaves.

Steam the individual leaves, making them pliable for rolling. (She didn’t show exactly how to do this, so I kinda faked it.)

What I did: I used my small veggie steamer pan, putting all six of my leaves in the basket. (I cupped them all together.) I steamed them for about 2 minutes. Uncovered the pan and took the basket out and placed it on a cutting board so it could cool.

So, now I’m going to give you the recipe for my cabbage rolls, incorporating my newly acquired knowledge.                                                                                                                            

Cabbage Rolls

This recipe is for 6 cabbage rolls

Carefully peel individual leaves off the cabbage head and trim the spine of each leaf as instructed above.

Trimming the spine off the cabbage leaf.
I’m hoping you can zoom in on this pic. I didn’t do a closeup of leaf, because I wanted you to see the “spine” which I trimmed off. If you do zoom in, you’ll see how closely you want to trim the spine.

Steam the cabbage leaves as instructed above.

While cabbage leaves are cooling, combine your meat mixture.

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • Ian’s Gluten Free Panko Bread Crumbs
  • Diced onion & sweet peppers, chopped parsley
  • Season with salt and pepper

Combine ingredients and form into 6 small patties (or maybe you’d call them giant, somewhat flat meatballs) that will fit in each cabbage leaf.

From steamer basket, carefully remove one cabbage leaf at a time, so as not to tear them. Place your small patty/giant flat meatball in leaf and slowly roll it up; folding in the edges of the leaf when you get about ¾ of the way rolled up. Finish rolling and place each cabbage roll with “flap side” down on a plate. Next, prepare your tomato sauce.

In large pan/skillet combine :

  • 1 qt. tomato juice
  • 14. 5 oz. can stewed tomatoes (If looks like too much, you can go with half the can.)
  • Season to taste with garlic powder, basil, oregano, celery seed, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Place each cabbage roll in tomato mixture, flap side down. Cook, covered, on medium heat for 45 minutes.  Stir occasionally, checking to be sure the cabbage rolls are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. You may also want to drizzle the tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls, so they don’t dry out.

First 2 cabbage rolls into the pan. Check out that sauce, the chunks of tomatoes, the herbs… We’re on our way to a great meal!
All six ready to go. Seriously, those are some nice looking cabbage rolls.

I have to tell you, the combination of removing the majority of the spine and steaming the leaves allowed me to create the prettiest cabbage rolls I have ever made – seriously.

The finished product.
Now that is a thing of beauty.

Serve warm with a hot vegetable or two. I like baked squash with mine, as well as maybe, steamed green beans or carrots.

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping!

Brenda

Link for Ian’s:

Original Panko Breadcrumbs

Disclaimer:                                

These recipes and tips are not guaranteed to work or be safe for everyone. Allergies are extremely complicated and vary for each individual. It is still your responsibility to read labels to ensure your safety. I cannot be held liable for any ill effects from using my tips to avoid your allergies. (Sorry guys, I don’t foresee any problems, but Momma’s gotta cover her backside, ya know?) Just read your labels! Do your research!