Braised Stuffed Cabbage Recipes

BRAISED STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Remove the tough central stalk from the cabbage leaves. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the cabbage, then cook for just 1-2 mins until the leaves are starting to wilt. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Drain well, then pat dry with a tea towel.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, then fry for 5 mins until slightly browned. Add the rosemary and celery, then cook for 8 mins more. Stir in the rice, then cook for a min or so until the grains are glistening. Remove from the heat, stir in the chestnuts and cranberries, then season.
• Spoon a little stuffing onto a cabbage leaf, roll up and fold in the sides to enclose the filling. Put in a single layer in a large, oiled, shallow ovenproof dish with the join underneath. Fill the remaining leaves in the same way. Mix the stock, vinegar and honey, then pour over the cabbage. Cover the dish tightly with foil, bake for 1 hr, uncover, then cook for a further 15 mins.

POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Place the head of cabbage in a large pot over high heat and add water to cover. Boil cabbage for 15 minutes, or until it is pliable and soft. Drain and allow to cool completely. Remove the hard outer vein from the leaves.
• In a separate large bowl, combine the beef, rice, garlic powder and the egg, mixing well. Place a small amount, about the size of your palm, into the center of a cabbage leaf and fold leaf over, tucking in the sides of the leaf to keep meat mixture inside.
• Pile up the filled leaves in a large pot, putting the larger leaves on the bottom. Add the tomato juice, vinegar and sugar and enough water to cover. Simmer over medium low heat for about 60 minutes. (Note: Keep an eye on them, making sure the bottom of leaves do not burn.)

STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Place cabbage head in freezer and freeze overnight. Remove from freezer, thaw and peel away leaves.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine the beef, egg, onion, rice, salt and pepper. Mix together well. Take a small handful and form into a small roll or ball. Place into the center of a cabbage leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf over and roll the ball up into the leaf. Place seam side down in baking dish. Continue until all of the filling is used up.
• Mix together the soup with a 1/2 can water; pour over stuffed cabbage.
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour; baste often with the sauce.

HUNGARIAN STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Remove core from head of cabbage. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; boil until outer leaves loosen from head. Lift out cabbage; remove softened leaves. Return to boiling water to soften more leaves. Repeat until all leaves are removed. Remove tough center stalk from each leaf. Set aside 12 large leaves for rolls; set remaining leaves aside., Spoon half of the sauerkraut into a Dutch oven; set aside. In a bowl, combine the beef, pork, rice, salt, pepper and egg. In a saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. In drippings, saute onion and garlic until tender. Add bacon and half of onion mixture to meat mixture; mix well. , Preheat oven to 325°. Place about 3 tablespoons filling on each cabbage leaf. Roll up, tucking in sides. Place rolls, seam side down, on sauerkraut in Dutch oven. Coarsely chop reserved cabbage leaves; place over rolls. To remaining onion mixture, add paprika, cayenne, tomatoes, caraway seeds, water and remaining sauerkraut. Cook until heated through. Pour over rolls. , Cover and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes. In a small bowl, gradually stir flour into sour cream. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons hot cooking liquid; mix well. Spoon over cabbage rolls. Bake, uncovered, until sauce is thickened, 15-20 minutes.

BRAISED CABBAGE STUFFED WITH PORK

Steps:

• To make the sauce:
• Puree the onions, carrots, celery and garlic to a coarse paste in a food processor. Coat a large wide pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it's brown and crispy. Add the pureed veggies and cook them until they become very soft and aromatic and are starting to turn brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the white wine and let it reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, and thyme bundle and season with salt, to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Reserve.
• To prep the cabbage:
• Add the vinegar to large pot of well-salted water and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Set up a bowl of well-salted iced water. Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then immediately plunge it into the bowl of iced water. When the leaves are cool, remove them from the water and pat them dry. Reserve.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and put over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt, to taste. Cook the onions until they are translucent and very aromatic, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool.
• In a large bowl combine the ground pork, pork sausage, chicken livers, if using, bread crumbs, Parmesan, egg, rosemary and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt, to taste. Add the chicken stock and mix well to combine. Stir in the cooked onions and garlic. Make a tester patty, cook it and eat it. It should taste really good, if it doesn't, adjust the seasoning.
• Lay each cabbage leaf on a flat work surface. Spoon a generous 1/4 cup of filling into each leaf. Fold the outside edges in and roll the leaf around the stuffing. Arrange each roll with the seam side down so that the roll will hold itself shut.
• Add the cabbage rolls to the sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the sauce has reduced to a thick, sauce-like consistency, about15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer the cabbage rolls to a serving platter and lightly cover with the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.
• MMMMMM...cabbage!

JACQUES' STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Remove the 12 outermost leaves from the cabbage; blanch for a few minutes in boiling, salted water to soften.
• Rinse blanched leaves in cold water, then drain, and let dry; cut out a v-shaped "notch" to remove some of the tough rib of each leaf, set aside.
• Core remainder of cabbage and chop inner leaves into 1 inch pieces so that you have about 2 cups; wash and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat; add onion and celery and saute, while tossing and stirring, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and cabbage, cook another minute or so while tossing and stirring.
• Season with salt, pepper, caraway, and coriander, if using.
• Pour in stock, cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates and vegetables are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes (if too much liquid remains, simply remove cover and continue cooking).
• Remove vegetables to a mixing bowl and allow to cool; add cooked rice and ground beef, mix well (with hands).
• Be sure mixture is well seasoned as this is the stuffing (to test, fry a small amount in butter to taste seasonings).
• To make the sauce, set a casserole, or other oven proof pot, on the stove top and heat over medium high heat; add oil, onion, celery, and carrots.
• Saute until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper, and bay leaves; cover and simmer on low while you stuff the cabbage.
• Okay, now the fun part, stuffing the cabbage (this is a Jacques Pepin exclusive method that Julia Child found utterly charming and much easier than the traditional method): Lay a large square of aluminum foil flat on your work surface.
• Place the four largest cabbage leaves on the foil; they should overlap and form a circle with the "notch" on the outside of the circle.
• Spread 1/3 of the stuffing on top, leaving about a 2 or 3 inch margin all around.
• Repeat using the next largest leaves and another 1/3 of the stuffing; then layer with the smallest leaves and remainder of the stuffing.
• Now you are going to use the foil to reshape the cabbage into it's original ball shape, no, seriously.
• Lift the corners and outside edges of the foil, and bring toward the center, so that the bottom layers of cabbage come up and sort of cover the smaller leaf layers.
• Keep pressing and forming into a ball, you will have a small opening at the top of the foil.
• Pour wine and stock into the casserole with the sauce; invert the cabbage ball and place into the sauce with the opening DOWN.
• Bring to a boil, over high heat, cover and place in center of preheated oven.
• Cook 2 hours.
• Once done, remove cabbage to a serving platter; this can be accomplished, heh heh heh, with one of those wire pasta thingys, or a heavy spatula (the opening should still be down).
• Pierce the foil and gently remove, from around and under, without disturbing the shape of the cabbage.
• Cut into wedges to serve; spoon sauce over or serve on side.

SWEET AND SOUR BRAISED PORK STUFFED NAPA CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Place cabbage in salted boiling water for 8 minutes with lemon juice.
• Remove cool and separate into individual leafs. Make sure to slice middle ridge so the leaf is totally flat for rolling, reserve.
• Heat a large sauté pan with olive oil over medium heat.
• Place onions in pan and sweat for 7 minutes.
• Add pork and sauté for another 10 minutes making sure to break up pork with a spoon as you sauté.
• Add garlic puree and cook till garlic is caramelized.
• Now add Teriyaki sauce and reduce till mixture has reduced.
• Drain off excess liquid and cool mixture at room temperature.
• Add cooked rice along with mascarpone cheese and chopped fresh tarragon. Combine well.
• Take a tablespoon of mixture and place in cabbage leaf, roll tightly to form a cabbage burrito roll.
• The Sauce.
• Pulse tomatoes with the liquid in a blender for 20 seconds.
• Add tomatoes to a pot along with vinegar, sugar, white wine and sweet chili sauce and reduce by 1/3.
• Place cabbage rolls in a baking dish and cover with liquid by two thirds.
• Cover with aluminum foil and place in a 350F degree oven for 25 minutes.
• Serve in a bowl and drizzle sauce over cabbage.

STUFFED NAPA CABBAGE BRAISED IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Stir in barley; reduce to simmer. Cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain in a colander or fine sieve, and rinse with cold water. Cover, and set aside.
• Fill saucepan with water; boil. Remove cabbage's large outer leaves.You'll need 24 large leaves. Add half to boiling water; simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander; cool. Repeat with remaining leaves; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine shallot, carrot, celery, pepper, tomato, raisins, turkey, cumin, coriander, cayenne, nutmeg, cloves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 cup reserved barley. Using hands, mix. Chill until ready to assemble.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a highsided saute pan on medium heat.Add onion and garlic; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, brown sugar, parsley sprigs, and oregano sprigs. Stir to combine; bring to a boil. Reduce to gentle simmer; cover. Cook while assembling cabbage. Once cooked, the sauce can be pureed if desired.
• Lay 2 cabbage leaves side by side, slightly overlapping, on a work surface. (If leaves are large, use one.) Place a heaping 1/3 cup turkey mixture on the stem end. Roll into a tight cylinder, folding in ends. Repeat with remaining leaves and mixture. Uncover sauce; place cabbage rolls in a baking pan. Spoon sauce over tops; cover. Bake 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, toss reserved barley and remaining teaspoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover; set aside.
• After 1 hour, remove rolls from oven. Serve over room-temperature barley mixture, topped with sauce and chopped herbs.

BRAISED CABBAGE STUFFED WITH SAUSAGE & FENNEL

Steps:

• FOR THE SAUCE
• In a food processor, purée the onion, celery, fennel, and garlic to a coarse paste.
• Coat a large wide pan with olive oil and add the pancetta; bring to medium heat and cook until brown and crispy, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the puréed veggies, ground fennel seeds, and red pepper and cook until the vegetables become soft and aromatic and start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the wine, bring to a boil (BTB), and reduce by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, and bay leaves and season with salt. Bring to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS); cook for 15 minutes. Taste to make sure it's delicious; adjust the seasoning as needed.
• FOR THE CABBAGE AND STUFFING
• Add the vinegar to large pot of well-salted water, bring it to a boil (BTB), and set up a large bowl of well-salted ice water. Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until just tender; immediately plunge it into the salty ice water. When the leaves are cool, remove them from the water and pat dry. Reserve.
• Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil. Add the onion, fennel, and red pepper and season with salt. Bring the pan to medium heat and cook the vegetables until soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the sausage, bread crumbs, Parm, chicken livers (if using), and egg. Season with salt, add 1/2 cup water, and mix well to combine; if the mixture seems too dry, add up to another 1/2 cup water-it should be kind of wet. Stir in the onion-fennel mixture.
• Make a 1- to 2-inch tester patty. In a small sauté pan, heat a bit of oil and cook the patty. When it's cool enough, taste it to make sure it's delicious-if it's not, reseason.
• Lay each cabbage leaf on a flat work surface. Spoon about 1/4 cup of filling into each leaf. Fold the outside edges in and roll the leaf around the stuffing. Place each roll on the work surface with the seam side down so the roll will hold itself shut. Look at us, always thinking!
• Add the cabbage rolls to the sauce, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, then uncover and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the cabbage rolls with the sauce spooned over them.

SPICY BRAISED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high. Add cabbage wedges to skillet and cook, flipping once, until charred, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to a plate.
• Swirl 1 tablespoon oil, shallot, and chiles in skillet. Cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Season to taste and nestle cabbage back into skillet. Bake in oven, flipping once, until very tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with sour cream, fresh dill, and lemon wedges.

BRAISED STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• To make the stuffing: Pour the milk over the bread chunks in a bowl, and let them soak for a few minutes, until completely saturated.
• Using a food processor, mince the pancetta, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic into a fine-textured pestata. You should have about 2 cups total.
• Pour the 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the heavy pan, and set over medium-high heat. Scrape in 1/2 cup of pestata, and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until it starts to dry and stick on the pan bottom. Crumble the sausage into the skillet, and cook, stirring, until all the meat is sizzling and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, and pour in the white wine. Bring to a boil, and cook until the wine has evaporated completely. Remove from the heat, and immediately scrape the sausage into a large bowl to cool.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°. Fill the big pot with water, and bring to a boil.
• When the meat has cooled, squeeze the milk from the soaked bread (catch it in the bowl, and use it for another purpose). Crumble the softened bread over the sausage, and combine them with your hands, then work in the beaten egg, chopped parsley, and grated cheese, tossing all together into a loose stuffing.
• To prepare the cabbage: Pull off and discard any bruised or torn outer leaves. Cut out the core of the cabbage, and separate the largest leaves from the head, keeping them intact. Lay each leaf flat, outside up, and with a sharp paring knife shave off the raised ridge of the rib at the leaf base. When you've trimmed twelve good-sized leaves (and a few extra) for the rolls, slice the remaining cluster of small inner leaves into shreds about 1/4 inch wide.
• Drop the big, trimmed leaves into the boiling water, and blanch them until soft and quite floppy, about 7 minutes. Cool them in a bowl of icy water; drain well, lay them on paper towels, and pat dry.
• Return the big sauté pan to the stove (wipe out any browned bits), pour in the 1/4 cup olive oil, and turn on medium-high heat. Stir in the remaining pestata, and cook until dried and sticking, about 4 minutes. Toss in all the shredded cabbage and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and cook, stirring, until the cabbage starts to wilt. Pour in the white wine, raise the heat to bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes or so, to blend the flavors.
• As the sauce simmers, make the cabbage rolls. Lay out each softened leaf with its shaved rib side down. Take about 1/3 cup of stuffing in your fingers, form it into a plump log, and lay it on the leaf. Roll the bottom of the leaf over the filling, tuck the sides in, and roll up tightly the rest of the way.
• When all the polpette are formed, lower the heat under the sauce and place each roll in the sauté pan, seam side down. Pour in the stock, submerging the rolls, heat to a bubbling boil, and put on the pan lid. Set the pan in the oven to braise the rolls for an hour. Remove the lid, and push the rolls down in the sauce, which will have reduced. Bake, uncovered, for another 30 minutes or so, until the sauce has reduced and thickened and the tops of the rolls are nicely caramelized.
• Serve in a warm bowl with some of the sauce, accompanied by rice, potatoes, or polenta.