Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 quarts water
• 1 large green cabbage
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 8 ounces ground lamb
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 medium green pepper, grated
• 2 stalks celery, with leaves,finely chopped
• 3 cups tomato sauce or 3 cups diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 tablespoons red wine
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled,cored and chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a large stockpot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
• 2 removed the center core of the cabbage.
• 3 add cabbage to the water and cook for 3 minutes.
• 4 outer leaves turn bright green and are tender when ready.
• 5 lift the cabbage from water, and remove outer leaves.
• 6 place leaves on paper towel to remove water.
• 7 return cabbage to boiling water.
• 8 repeat cooking and removing leaves until all leaves are cooked.
• 9 reserve two cups cabbage cooking water.
• 10 trim center vein from bottom of each leaf.
• 11 save the 4 largest outer leaves to line the bottom of the dutch oven.
• 12 in a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter.
• 13 add garlic and onion, cook till golden and tender.
• 14 in a large bowl, combine onion mixture, beef, lamb, rice, salt, pepper, parsley, paprika, sage, thyme, red pepper flakes, green pepper and celery.
• 15 line the bottom of a 5 quart dutch oven with the 4 large cabbage leaves.
• 16 fill 1 cabbage leaf with meat/rice mixture, approx.
• 17 1/3 cup.
• 18 fold sides of cabbage over filling and roll the leaf up.
• 19 repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
• 20 place stuffed cabbage leaves into the dutch oven.
• 21 in a bowl, combine tomato sauce, red wine, chicken stock and tomato paste, pinch of salt and pepper.
• 22 pour some of the sauce mixture over the stuffed cabbage rolls to completely cover them.
• 23 reserve the rest of the sauce.
• 24 sprinkle apple over the top.
• 25 bring to a simmer, turn to low heat and cover.
• 26 check the pot often, adding additional sauce or reserve cabbage water, as needed to keep moist.
• 27 cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the leaves are tender.
• 28 optional: place sour cream in a small bowl.
• 29 add about 3/4 cup of tomato sauce from dutch oven.
• 30 combine mixture with a whisk.
• 31 stir the sour cream mixture back into the dutch oven to combine.
• 32 you are now ready to serve.
• 33 garnish with more sour cream as desired.