Elaines Cabbage Rolls Recipes

CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Mix together meat, rice, egg, onion, carrot, salt, pepper and bacon.
• Spoon mixture into the center of each of the 12 cabbage leaves.
• Roll up, tucking in sides to completely enfold meat.
• Place folded side down in a greased baking dish.
• Mix together brown sugar, lemon juice and tomato sauce.
• Pour over rolls, cover tightly and bake at 375°F for 1 hour.
• Uncover and bake 20 minutes longer.

CLASSIC CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook cabbage in boiling water for 10 minutes or until outer leaves are tender; drain. Rinse in cold water; drain. Remove 8 large outer leaves (refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use); set aside. , In a large saucepan, saute 1 cup onion in butter until tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the rice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and remaining onion and salt. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture and mix well. , Remove thick vein from cabbage leaves for easier rolling. Place about 1/2 cup meat mixture on each leaf; fold in sides. Starting at an unfolded edge, roll up leaf to completely enclose filling. Place seam side down in a skillet. Top with the sauce. , Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Add V8 juice if desired. Reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes longer or until rolls are heated through and a thermometer inserted in the filling reads 160°.

OLD-FASHIONED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Cook cabbage in boiling water just until outer leaves pull away easily from head. Set aside 12 large leaves for rolls. In a small bowl, combine the beef, pork, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, onion, rice, parsley, salt, dill and cayenne; mix well., Cut out the thick vein from the bottom of each leaf, making a V-shaped cut. Place about 1/4 cup meat mixture on a cabbage leaf; overlap cut ends of leaf. Fold in sides. Beginning from the cut end, roll up. Repeat., Slice the remaining cabbage; place in a Dutch oven. Arrange the cabbage rolls seam side down over sliced cabbage. Combine the tomatoes, sugar and remaining tomato sauce; pour over the rolls. Cover and bake at 350° until cabbage rolls are tender, 1-1/2 hours.

GRANDMA ELAINE'S UNSTUFFED SWEET AND SOUR CABBAGE

Steps:

• Place the vegetable oil into a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the sliced onions, and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, using a spoon to slightly chop the whole tomatoes. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir the cabbage into the tomatoes. Cover, and simmer 1 hour until the cabbage is tender and mixes easily with the tomatoes.
• Place the ground beef, eggs, finely chopped onion, rice, water, additional 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix together with hands until thoroughly blended. Add additional rice if mixture is too moist. Form into golf ball-sized meatballs. Place meatballs on a plate, and refrigerate 20 minutes to firm.
• Place meatballs on the surface of the tomato mixture. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the meatballs are firm and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Gently stir the meatballs into the tomato mixture. Cover the pot and continue to simmer 45 minutes more. Stir in the lemon juice, and taste for seasoning, adding additional lemon juice if required. Stir in the raisins, and honey. Add the brown sugar, a little at a time, tasting after each addition. Cook mixture over medium heat 15 minutes more.

POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (GOLABKI) IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the cabbage by cutting out the tough middle bit (see photo above). Place the cabbage in a large pot filled with about 5-6 cm of water (cut end down), cover and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, covered, until the outer leaves start separating. Remove the cabbage from the pot (use 2 forks and a knife to help the leaves separate) and carefully place the loose leaves on a plate one by one. Put the cabbage back in the pot, continue simmering, then remove a few more leaves. Repeat this process until you've got about 20 leaves.
• Whilst the cabbage is simmering rinse the rice thoroughly, combine with 1 and ¼ cup of lightly salted water, cover and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, covered, until all the water has been absorbed. Place in a large bowl and set aside to cool completely.
• In a frying pan heat up the oil, add the onion and cook over a low heat for about 5-6 minutes until softened and golden. Combine with the rice and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Line a large casserole dish with cabbage leaves (the small ones or ones that have torn) and set aside.
• Using a sharp knife slice off the thick bit running along the length of the cabbage leaf on the outside (see photo). Be careful not to split the leaf. Do this for each leaf.
• Combine the rice and onion mixture (once cooled) with the meat, about 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt, add plenty of pepper and stir thoroughly.
• Make a good size oval shaped meatball and place in the leaf. To make a cabbage roll fold in the longer sides, then wrap the filling starting with the thick end of the leaf. Press the mixture in with your fingers as you are rolling and roll as tightly as possible. Place the cabbage rolls one by one in the casserole dish so they are nice and snug, very close together.
• Make the sauce by combining the hot stock with the passata and tomato paste and stirring thoroughly. Pour this mixture over the cabbage rolls. Cover with a sheet of non-stick paper cut to fit the shape of your dish (or small leaves if there are any left), then cover with a lid or tin foil and bake in the centre of the oven for 1.5 hours. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

ELAINE'S CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• 1. Wash cabbage; cut out core. Drop cabbage, core side down into a large saucepan of boiling salted water to cover and blanch five or six minutes or until softened. Drain and carefully separate leaves. Alternatively, you can put the cabbage in the microwave to soften the leaves. Take the leaves off the head as they soften and then put the cabbage back in the microwave to soften the next layer.
• 2. Combine beef, rice, sugar, grated onion, one tablespoon lemon juice, one teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika.
• 3. Drain cabbage leaves. Trim the tough center rib to make leaf more pliable. Place a spoonful of meat mixture on each leaf; roll up from the stem end leaving the sides loose. After it is rolled up, tuck in the sides like a dimple. This will secure the rolls without using toothpicks.
• 4. Saute fine-chopped onion with remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp paprika and pinch of pepper in hot oil in skillet or dutch onion for about 10 minutes. Add hot water and transfer onion misture to casserole or leave in dutch oven. Arrange cabbage rolls on top of onions.
• 5. Mix tomato sauce with sugar and the 1/4 cup lemon juice; pour over cabbage rolls and cover.
• 6. Bake at 325 F for two to three hours. Taste and add more sugar and lemon juice if necessary. If cooked on stove top, cook over low heat.

GRANDMA ELAINE'S UNSTUFFED SWEET & SOUR CABBAGE

Steps:

• Use Large Stock Pot and wooden spoon.
• Wash cabbage, cut off core. Cut cabbage in half horizontally. Take core out and cut.
• cabbage in 3 inch chunks.
• Cook sliced onions in oil until translucent.
• Add can of whole tomatoes, stir and chop slightly with spoon. Add tomato sauce, half of salt, half of pepper, and mix.
• Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stir occasionally so it doesn't burn.
• Then add cabbage and stir and push cabbage down into the sauce.
• Cover pot and continue to simmer approx 1 hour till you can mix cabbage around in the sauce.
• In large bowl mix ground beef with chopped onion, 1 1/2 level teaspoons salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 2 eggs, rice, and water. Mix well with hands.
• If too mushy, add a little more rice. Form golf ball size meat balls, and then store briefly in refrigerator to get firmer.
• Place meatballs on top of cabbage on sauce. Cover and simmer approx 15 minutes till meatballs feel firm.
• Then gently mix meat balls into sauce. Let pot simmer for approx 45 minutes, then add lemon. Taste for lemon taste, if not add more lemon.
• Then add raisins, honey, and then sugar a little at time to taste. Cook for another 15 minutes, then mix gently, uncover and remove from heat.
• Try not to eat right away so flavors can infuse. Tastes better when eaten the second day, but don't overheat. Only reheat what you will eat at that sitting.
• This freezes well.

CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cut center core out of cabbage and place, core side down, in boiling water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• While cabbage simmers, heat oil in pan over med-high heat and sauté onion and garlic 3-5 minutes until browned. Add mushrooms and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl to cool.
• Remove cabbage to a rimmed baking sheet, keeping water in the pot. Gently remove leaves from cabbage, cutting away from the core with a small knife. Set aside the best 16 unbroken leaves and cut off the thick spine in the center for easier rolling. Set all remaining broken or small cabbage leaves aside. (If the core is too firm, return it to boiling water for a few minutes to soften)
• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• To cooled onion mixture, add meat, uncooked rice, parsley, tomato, salt & pepper. Combine well.
• Place about 1/4 cup of filling in each leaf, roll, and place seam side down in a 13 by 9-inch pan. Pour liquid over rolls and lay some leftover leaves on top. Cover pan tightly with foil, and bake for 1 1/2 hours. (Place pan on a cookie sheet in case it drips)
• Remove from oven and let rest 30 minutes or better still, let cool and refrigerate overnight. (They freeze well.)