Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce

SLO Farmers Co-op No Comments
Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce

Serves: 4-6 (makes about 12 rolls) | Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Cabbage rolls are a hearty and satisfying Polish dish that are our go-to treat every year when Pulaski Polka Days rolls around. You could experiment with making the sauce with fresh tomatoes, but we took it easy and used canned. Serve them with boiled potatoes or potato dumplings!

INGREDIENTS

  • ¾ cup rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
  • 1 head green cabbage
  • 1 pound ground meat, any combination of beef, pork, and/or turkey
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Fresh dill

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

  • 2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes
  • 6 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth or stock
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 8 peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS

  1. Rinse the rice in cool water until the water runs clear. Bring rice and 1 cup water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. The rice should be al dente. Allow to cool.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a dash of salt. Sauté until onions have softened.
  3. Cut out the core of the head of cabbage and submerge it with the core side down in a pot filled with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil until the leaves begin to loosen from the head. Remove from the liquid and cool until you’re able to handle it. Set aside about 2 cups of the water. Caution: it’s hot!
  4. Carefully remove the individual leaves from the head, taking care not to tear them. Set all the leaves aside, including any that may have torn. Tip: Once you get down to the inner leaves you may need to re-boil the cabbage head to soften the leaves.
  5. Using a knife, slice out a v-shaped portion of the hard main rib from each leaf so that the leaves will lay flat.
  6. Mix ground meat, onions, rice, and a dash of salt and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
  7. Place a portion of the ground meat mixture on the cabbage leaf. Roll starting from the bottom first, then fold in the sides. Continue making rolls until you’ve used up all the meat mixture.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line up the cabbage rolls in a baking dish. Add a cup or two of boiled cabbage water (or broth or stock if you prefer) so it submerges the rolls to about halfway up the sides. Cover the top surface with the torn cabbage leaves you set aside. This will help it steam and prevent the tops from getting crispy. Bake for about 45-50 minutes.
  9. Prepare the sauce. In a blender, add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, broth/stock, and garlic and blend until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan and add the bay leaves and peppercorns. Simmer on medium low for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter.
  10. Serve the rolls topped with tomato sauce and a garnish of fresh dill.