Mediterranean Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipes

VEGETARIAN STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Remove and discard the first couple leaves of cabbage. Wash in cold water. Cut approx 1/4" off the bottom of the head and place the whole head of cabbage in boiling water. Boil about 2 minutes. Peel off the softened leaves, using a pair of tongs. Continue the same process, peeling off the blanched layers of cabbage leaves as they soften. Set aside to cool briefly.
• Once cooled, cut each cabbage leaf into halves or thirds, removing any thick veins.
• Now prepare the rice stuffing mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice, shredded onions, chopped tomato, herbs, salt and pepper, spices, oil, 1/2 can of tomato sauce and 1/4 cup water. Mix together with a spoon.
• Lightly oil a large Dutch oven or heavy cooking pot. Line the bottom with the sliced onions and sliced tomatoes.
• Take a piece of cabbage and place on a flat surface, coarse side up. Add 1 tsp (more if leaves are larger) of the rice stuffing mixture at the end of the leaf closest to you (see photo). Roll up the leaf to completely enclose the stuffing. Repeat with the remaining cabbage.
• Layer the cabbage rolls, seam-side down, in the prepared Dutch oven/pot. Top with the remaining 1/2 can of tomato sauce, and about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of water (water should barely reach the top layer of cabbage rolls). Add a pinch more ground cumin.
• Top the cabbage rolls with a small plate. Cook on high heat for 5-7 minutes until the liquid reduces to half. Reduce the heat to low. Leaving the small plate in, and cover the pot with its own lid. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove the plate but cover with the lid only. Cook for another 15 minutes or until the liquid has been completely absorbed and the rice stuffing mixture is cooked through.
• If you're not in a hurry, leave the cabbage rolls undisturbed before transferring to a serving platter or individual plates. Enjoy!

MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Cabbage -- I like to blanch my cabbage just in the microwave. Remove the leaves and put them in a flat dish with some water and nuke 1-2 minutes it doesn't take long. I do about 15 leaves at a time. It is quick and easy. If you prefer to blanch them in a large pot of boiling water to get the cabbage soft, that is fine too. You just want the leaves soft enough to roll but not cooked. Cool once soft so they are easier to handle.
• Filling -- In a large bowl mix the couscous, egg, seasoning, herbs, pine nuts, olives, cheese and onions. Stir well until everything is combined. Add the lamb and mix until combined.
• Time to roll up the cabbage -- Add a tablespoon or two to the cabbage leave and roll, folding in the sides. Secure with a tooth pick. Add to either a large pot for stove top cooking or a crock pot. Personally I love the crock pot for this. They both work equally as good.
• The sauce -- Add to the pot the wine mixed with the tomato paste, the canned tomatoes, chopped well, and the shallots. Cook on medium low on the stove for 2 hours. Or in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours depending on the size of your crock pot.
• Serve this with grilled pita bread to soak up all the sauce and a fresh green salad with a lemon and oregano vinaigrette.

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Bring a large, wide saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add cabbage leaves and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until softened; drain.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 cup cooked rice, onion, egg, salt and pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of tomato soup. Mix thoroughly.
• Divide the beef mixture evenly among the cabbage leaves. Roll and secure them with toothpicks or string.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, place the cabbage rolls and pour the remaining tomato soup over the top. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring and basting with the liquid often.

TRADITIONAL GREEK STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (LAHANODOLMADES)

Steps:

• Prepare the rice mixture: Mix together the rice, ground beef, onion, spring onions, carrot, olive oil, parsley, dill, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for half an hour.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in a teaspoon of salt.
• Remove the entire core of the cabbage using a sharp pairing knife. Immerse the cabbage in the boiling water, cored side down. The water should be almost to the top of the cabbage. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, or, until the leaves can be easily separated (Note: If you use Savoy cabbage the cooking time is much shorter, at just under 5 minutes). Using tongs, carefully remove each leaf from the pot, as soon as they become soft and flexible, and place them on a drainer to cool. Set aside and reserve any hard, torn, or very small leaves to line the bottom of your pot later.
• To assemble the cabbage rolls: place a cabbage leaf on a work surface. Place a tablespoon of the filling (the size of a walnut) near the bottom of the leaf. If necessary, cut into the leaf's stem (in a V shape) to remove the hard and thick spine. This will make them easier to roll. Fold the bottom end up and over the filling, then fold the two side ends of the cabbage leaf towards the center. Roll the leaf up to enclose the mixture, making sure not to roll it too tight because the rice filling will expand while it cooks. For the leaves that are a bit too small, you can overlap two of them to form a larger leaf before filling, or, you can also patch up any tears the leaves might have. For the leaves that are too large, cut them in half along the hard stem.
• To layer the cabbage rolls: line the bottom of the pot with those reserved leaves that were too hard or too small to fill. This will protect the stuffed cabbage rolls from over browning. Arrange the rolls seam side down in the pot. Make sure they are placed snuggly against each other so they do not move during cooking. Repeat with a second layer of rolls. Top with more of the leftover harder cabbage leaves, if you have them.
• To cook: Pour the stock and water over them, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover the top of the stuffed cabbage rolls with an inverted, heatproof, shallow plate or bowl. The plate should be large enough that it covers the rolls, but small enough to not touch the sides of the pot. This will keep the rolls in place while cooking and will ensure that they cook properly. Reduce the heat to a medium-low and simmer for about 45-50 minutes. Check to make sure the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and uncover the pot.
• Make the avgolemono sauce: Whisk the eggs very well until frothy; for best results, use a hand-held mixer. Add the lemon juice and the cornstarch and whisk again. Start "tempering" the eggs by adding a ladle of hot liquid from the pot to the bowl while whisking constantly. Add one more ladle and whisk again until combined. Stir in the egg-lemon broth into the pot, shaking the pan to distribute evenly. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium-low heat for just a minute or so, making sure it does not come to a boil. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the broth for seasoning.
• To serve: arrange the rolls on individual serving plates and then top them with the frothy hot sauce (do not drown them). Garnish with lemon slices, fresh dill and some freshly ground pepper.

FISH AND COUSCOUS STUFFED MEDITERRANEAN CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Homemade Greek Seasoning -- You can make a batch of this up and put in a small spice jar. Once you try this, you will always keep some on hand.: 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried mint, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion, 1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic. Options, you can add some lemon pepper, or marjoram, but that is my favorite combination that I use.
• Cabbage -- In a large pot, bring salted water up to a boil and add the cabbage. Blanch, or cook the cabbage just until the leaves are tender or no longer stiff and easy to work work. It should take about 3-4 minutes. Now don't get rid of that water, just turn it off for now. Once the cabbage is cool enough to handle remove the outer leaves, the ones that are soft and no longer stiff. As you get in to the smaller leaves they will be stiffer, so heat up the water to a boil and put the cabbage back in to finish blanching the remaining cabbage, just another 2-3 minutes. Once cool, take off the leaves.
• Set all the leaves off to the side to cool. And don't worry if they are all different sizes, that is just the way stuffed cabbage is. Each stuffed leaf will be a bit different.
• NOTE: Don't throw that water out yet. We use it one more time.
• Fish -- Now you can use a variety of methods, but since you already have hot boiling water from the cabbage, why get rid of it. I simply put a steamer basket (or you can use a colander or even a strainer; I have even used a small grate) over the top, cut my fish fillets into 3" pieces, easier to work with, and add to the steamer basket. Put a lid or foil over the top and just cooked until slightly tender, but not too long. Usually 4-5 minutes is all you need. Remove and let cool.
• Couscous -- Now you can use your favorite brand. Simply follow the directions on the package. My method is to bring a bowl of water up to a boil in the microwave. Remove, add the couscous, cover with plastic wrap and you are done. You want approximately 1 1/2 cups cooked couscous, a little more or less is fine. Just set to the side.
• Vegetable Filling -- In a medium saute pan, heat to medium high and add the olive oil. Add the peppers, onion, celery, and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion gets opaque. Then add in the scallions, parsley, Greek seasoning and olives and just stir to combine all the flavors. Remove to the side.
• Fish filling -- Take you fish and use your fork to flake the fish. I just roughly flake it, it will fall apart as you mix it with the other ingredients. To the couscous, just remove the plastic wrap or fork to "fluff up." Then add the fish, sauteed vegetables, lemon juice and zest, and the egg to the couscous. Mix well. Your filling is done.
• Sauce -- The sauce can simmer as you roll your cabbage leaves. In a medium to large pot bring to medium heat and add the olive oil and then the onions and garlic. Cook for just 2-3 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and then add in the tomatoes and Greek seasoning. Stir well and then add in the artichoke hearts. Just reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.
• Rolls -- Now the fun part. Lay out the cabbage leaves and put a good spoon of the couscous mixture to the center of the leaf. I fold one end over (the smaller end), then tuck in the 2 sides, and finish rolling. Just like you would make a sandwich wrap. Secure with a toothpick and you are done.
• If you have any filling left, don't throw it out. Save it and reinvent it. Add some feta cheese and fresh tomatoes and serve as a cold salad over a bed of lettuce or stuff in a tomato for a quick healthy lunch or dinner.
• Casserole -- I like to bake mine in a large casserole dish, I add all the cabbage leaves and then top with the simmered tomato and artichoke sauce. In a 350 degree oven, cover and bake 30-40 minutes until the cabbage is very tender and all the filling reheats.
• Serve -- Make sure to serve 2-3 leaves per person and top with extra tomato sauce and the black olives as a garnish. Some crusty bread and you have a great dinner. I love to start with a bowl of creamy potato soup, I made earlier, so just reheat. It makes a nice Sunday Comfort Food Meal for a cold chilly day.

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place cabbage, core-side down, in an 8- to 10-cup microwave-safe casserole dish. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and microwave on high until outer leaves are soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and cool.
• While the cabbage is cooling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine ground beef, pork, veal, rice, onion, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon each of thyme, basil, and oregano; mix until well combined.
• Remove 12 outer leaves from the cooled cabbage and trim the thick stems to make them easier to roll.
• Divide meat mixture into 12 equal portions. Place 1 portion on the stem end of each cabbage leaf. Roll up the leaves and fold in the ends. Place rolls, seam-sides down, in a single layer in a casserole dish.
• Combine crushed tomatoes with remaining thyme, basil, and oregano and pour over cabbage rolls.
• Cover and bake in the preheated oven until meat is cooked through, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (71 degrees C). Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.