Anytime I want the “Honey Do List” completed, I make cabbage rolls. They are one of my husbands favorites. This recipe is a bit time consuming but is well worth the work. Prepare it on a day when you have time and are not rushed. I always feel like a gourmet cook when I serve this meal. I hope you like it. This recipe makes a 9 x 13 dish.
Here’s what you need:
9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with Pam
1 medium head of cabbage
1 1/2 cups prepared rice (I like to use long grain white rice, but you can use brown)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound of ground sausage ( I like Jimmy Dean Hot)
sauce:
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tbsps. balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup of dry red wine (remember, if you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it)
1 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Here’s what you do
In a large stock pot, fill 1/2 way with water and bring to boil. Core cabbage and add whole cabbage to boiling water. With tongs, start peeling away the cabbage leaves when they are pliable but still a bit firm. Set aside leaves to cool . You should have about 12 to 15 leaves.
Next, brown ground beef, sausage and onion. Add meat mixture to prepared rice. Add several spoonfuls of mixture onto leaf and roll starting at the stem end and turning the sides in. Lay roll seam side down in prepared dish. Continue rolling leaves until you have a full dish.
Next, prepare sauce by sauteing onion in oil. Once translucent, add remaining ingredients. Stir often to prevent burning. Turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Next, transfer sauce to a food processor or blender and puree.
Pour sauce over rolls and cover with foil. Refrigerate several 3 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for an hour.
serves- 6
difficulty- intermediate
