STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS
Growing up in Brooklyn, both my mother and my grandmother made “ Stuffed Cabbage" the same way as it was handed down from generation to generation. I can only estimate the ingredients as both cooked by taste. My Mom used to say, cookbooks look great on the shelf, but the taste is great on the plate. So many things I cook today, I realize I do by instinct and taste and don't reference the pages that often, I guess that makes me a hand-me down too.
This is more complex than simple versions on the web and very similar, noting the raisins and the brown sugar were the keys in the similarity to the recipe by the Barefoot Contessa and others on the web. My mother made me this as a kid, and I am in my sixties which means I had this before the Contessa became a Contessa. The recipe is quite similar. There are hundreds of versions of this. Another difference was my mother added ground carrot to the sauce for additional sweetness and a pinch of this and a touch of that. Carrots, the brown sugar and raisins dimensionally work together to sweeten the pot. That’s how you get picky kids to eat "things like cabbage". Mom was pretty smart. first the simple generic version.
ITALIAN - JEWISH - GREEK -
POLISH VERSIONS
Serves 6 or 4 +
seconds
For classic Greek style, we substitute a Lemon Sauce and "Lemon-Pepper" for the pepper, and also add some
Rosemary and Thyme and increase the amount of spice. This is to offset the cream sauce and
lemon the Greek people favor. The basic difference in these countries is the
use of the available resources and vegetables. In Israel they have tomatoes, in Greece they have lemons, and we use a simple lemon sauce for the Greek version.
Simple Lemon Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
1 egg, well beaten
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 tablespoons lemon juice
DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients in 2-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook 1 minute. Serve warm or refrigerate.
Basic Stuffed Cabbage
1 large head of cabbage
1 1/2 lb. hamburger meat
2 Italian sausages (see note, use
mild or hot)
1-cup rice,
2 cloves garlic, minced (more, I like a lot)
1 onion, grated
1 egg beaten
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
DIRECTIONS FOR THE CABBAGE:
Core the cabbage. Cook the leaves in a large pot until leaves
wilt and can be easily removed. You can do this in stages by using a carving
fork inserted near the core area as a handle. Cook it too long and you will have cabbage soup known in Jewish Circles as the "who died in the Kitchen smell.
ALTERNATE METHOD
- FREEZE
the cabbage for two days and then defrost the night before. Some
believe the cabbage is softer when boiled and some believe the freezing is
easier. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle. Peel leaves carefully,
without tearing or shredding. Chop remaining cabbage; place in the bottom
of a casserole dish so the stuffed cabbage rolls don't burn.
DIRECTIONS FOR THE FILLING:
Remove casings from sausage, and mix with meat or add ground veal or
chicken, additional spices to taste and mix with the hamburger. Add the
egg, cup of rice, garlic, salt and pepper. Spoon a few tablespoons onto a cabbage leaf and roll up. Place in
casserole dish. Repeat until all filling is used, laying rolls side by side. Bake
60 minutes at 350F°F or until cabbage is tender and filling is cooked.
DIRECTIONS FOR THE SAUCE:
Cover with tomato soup undiluted and add salt, pepper, oregano,
basil, thyme, and a few pepper flakes, or a commercial can of tomato sauce flavored with spices
and sugar. (See Sauces below)
MOM'S VERSION OF THIS DISH
MEAT FILLING:
2
1/2 pounds ground chuck (Lean Hamburger at 85-15)
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten, do not whip
2 cloves garlic pressed (or more)
1/2 cup finely chopped Vidalia sweet or yellow onions
1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup uncooked white rice, Basmati or Jasmine long grain
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp if dried
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS FOR THE FILLING:
For
the filling, in a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, eggs, onion,
breadcrumbs, rice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add ¾ cup of the sauce to the meat mixture and mix
lightly with a fork, set aside
THE SAUCE
3 table spoons olive oil
1 stalk of celery, diced very fine, almost minced
1 and 1/4 cup sweet or Vidalia onions, also finely chopped (sub:
Shallots)
3 tablespoons chicken stock
2 cans tomatoes, finely chopped, diced or diced and sauce. (Hunts
28oz)
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced or 1 tablespoon dried
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or rice wine, malt vinegar
1-teaspoon fresh oregano, minced or 1/2 dried
1/2-cup light brown sugar
1/2-cup raisins
(bashed or crushed with rolling pin)
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS FOR THE SAUCE:
For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a
large saucepan, add the onions, and wait till the onions are translucent. Add
the Hunts tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, raisins, salt, and pepper. Bring to a
boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Set aside.
Taste and correct with the usual pepper and salt, or
aromatics you prefer. This makes a sweet tangy sauce and the raisins are a
key element she used. Ground
carrot, I use a fine grater, added to the mix with the brown sugar and raisins
sweeten the pot. I put the raisins between two sheet of saran wrap and crush
with a kitchen hammer or rolling pin, scrape and add to the sauce. This one tip alone changes the
complexity of the taste and makes a winner.
PREPARATION OF THE LEAVES:
Alternate
choice; FREEZE the cabbage for two days and then defrost the night before. Some
believe the cabbage is softer when boiled and some believe the freezing is
easier.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Remove the entire core of the cabbage. Immerse the head of the cabbage in the
boiling water for a few minutes, peeling off each leaf with tongs as soon as
it’s flexible.
Another way is to stick a carving fork in
it and only pull the outside leaves. Set the leaves aside. No waste as the
excess leaves will be used to bed the pan to prevent burning the stuffed
cabbage. Do as many as you can and chop the leftovers for the bedding.
PUTTING IT TOGETHER:
You
will need a large Dutch oven, and preheat the oven 350 degrees. Assemble
is simple, place 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the oven. Cut the
stem portion or the rib off the leaf.
Place filling in an oval shape, like
finger Sushi near the rib edge of the leaf. Roll up toward the outer edge of
the leaf, and tuck in the sides. Secure with a toothpick, which is a smart
move. Place the cabbage rolls, seam side down, over the sauce. Keep adding rows
of sauce and rolls until you run out. Pour the remaining sauce over the
cabbage rolls or save it for the table. Cover the Dutch oven, and bake for
1 hour. Check to see if the meat is cooked and the rice is tender. If it is not ready, give it another
fifteen to twenty minutes while you enjoy some fine wine. The extra sauce is
great on garlic-mashed potatoes...
SERVE WITH:
THE GOOD STUFF
I usually order at this time of the year, a simple white Chenin Blanc or their 'Special Reserve' Chenin Blanc from the Biltmore estate in Asheville, North Carolina which has a fine vineyard and they sell on line.
They are located at http://www.biltmore.com/
Hint from the Biltmore: Surprise and delight your guests by
offering both a red and a white wine option to pair with the Thanksgiving
meal or for any other occasion. Our winemakers recommend
selecting our buttery, complex Biltmore Estate® Chardonnay and
our elegant and medium-bodied Biltmore® Reserve Pinot
Noir to grace your holiday table in November and December.