CABBAGE ROLL RECIPES
Dear TEAM: My mother made cabbage rolls for me for years and has now gone to the big garden in the sky. I cannot find her recipe. Could you please help me find a good replacement recipe for cabbage rolls?
– D.M.
Dear D.M.:I am sorry about your mother’s passing. I hope that one of the following recipes will be close to your mother’s.
The first recipe is for a meatless cabbage roll that was sent to us by one of our readers, Naden Hewko. The other is a recipe I often use.
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MEATLESS CABBAGE ROLLS
This will make about 50 medium small cabbage rolls.
3 c. rice 750 mL
6 c. water 1.5 L
1 tsp. salt 5 mL
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 c. oil 125 mL
1-2 heads of cabbage (see below on how to prepare)
1 10fl. oz. can of tomato soup 284 mL
1 can of water
1/2 c. canola oil 125 mL
1 c. tomato juice 250 mL
Cook rice in water with salt. Follow instructions on package, but make it slightly underdone, not too soft.
Saute onion in oil. Add to the rice mixture. If you like a more seasoned product, add more salt and pepper.
Let cool slightly before filling prepared cabbage leaves.
To prepare cabbage leaves:Cut out the core and put the cabbage head in a large container of hot water. Let stand in the water until the leaves are pliable. Drain water and carefully take the leaves apart. Cut out the large centre rib from each leaf. If the leaves are large, you can make four pieces out of one leaf. Drain the leaves well before filling with rice.
If you choose to use the sour cabbage that is available in stores, pour boiling water over the cabbage leaves after taking them apart. Drain well and cut out the hard centre rib before filling. The sour cabbage rolls take longer to bake so adjust time accordingly.
Making the rolls:Place a spoonful of rice on about a four or five inch long piece of leaf. Roll tightly, tucking in the ends as you roll. Continue rolling in the leaves until rice is used up. Place beside each other in a greased roaster or casserole that will hold 50 rolls. You can place them in two layers, but not more.
At this point, you can place them on a cookie sheet and freeze for baking later.
To bake:Mix tomato soup, water, oil and tomato juice. Pour sauce over cabbage rolls; cover container and bake in 400 F (200 C) oven for first 15 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Turn oven down to 325 F (160 C), and bake for about two more hours or until cabbage is tender to touching with a fork. Check halfway through baking to see if more tomato juice is necessary.
You don’t want them soggy; neither do you want them to dry out.
To keep the rolls from scorching, line the pan with a few cabbage leaves before adding the rolls.
The secret to tender cabbage rolls is in the slow cooking once the sauce bubbles.
MEAT FILLED CABBAGE ROLLS
2 lb. ground beef 1 kg
1 tsp. salt 5 mL
1 tsp. pepper 5 mL
2 c. uncooked rice 500 mL
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large head cabbage
1 48 oz. can tomato juice 1.5 l
1 tsp. caraway seeds 5 mL (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
Cut out the core of the cabbage and then gently remove leaves.
Place leaves in boiling water until flexible. Drain, cut out the rib from each leaf and then set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, add beef, salt, pepper and rice. Mix until blended.
Place a portion of beef mixture at the base of the cabbage leaf and roll up. Place each cabbage roll into a buttered or sprayed nine by 12 dish with the seam of roll side down. Finish filling all leaves.
Pour the tomato juice over the rolls, leaving 1/2 inch from top for meat juices. Add the caraway seeds if desired.
Cover with foil and bake in 400 F (200 C) oven for first 15 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.
Turn oven down to 325 F (160 C), and bake for about two more hours or until cabbage is tender to touching with a fork. Check halfway through baking to see if more tomato juice is necessary.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
