Stuffed Cabbage Leaves Kaaldolmer Recipes

LAMB AND RICE STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; heat oil in the melted butter. Cook and stir 1/2 diced onion until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Combine lamb, rice, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 cup parsley, almonds, and currants in a large bowl. Add cooled onion mixture and mix until combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Remove the core from the cabbage head and place the head in the boiling water. Cover and simmer until leaves begin to fall away, about 5 minutes. Remove the 2 outer layers of leaves to a paper towel-lined plate, cover and continue cooking for 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove the remaining large leaves to the plate. You will need 8 large and about 7 smaller leaves.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Take 1 cabbage leaf and remove the root end. Place about 1/2 cup of the lamb mixture toward the bottom edge of the cabbage leaf and roll into a log. Repeat with remaining lamb mixture and 7 more large leaves to create 8 cabbage rolls.
• Line the bottom of a large casserole dish or Dutch oven with 4 or 5 smaller cabbage leaves. Place cabbage rolls on top; season with salt and black pepper. Add bay leaves and tomato puree. Pour in chicken broth. Sprinkle 1/2 sliced onion over the top and cover with 3 or 4 more cabbage leaves. Cover casserole.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the lamb is tender and the rice is cooked, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Serve with pan juices poured over the top and garnished with feta cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley.

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.

STUFFED CABBAGE LEAVES

Steps:

• Boil the cabbage whole in a large pot of water for three to five minutes, or until the leaves turn bright green. Remove from water.
• When the cabbage has cooled, separate the leaves carefully. Place each leaf flat on a table and divide the scallops, shrimp and crab claws among them. Brush with melted butter and vermouth. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, and salt and pepper.
• Fold the leaves and tie with string or long scallion ends.
• Place on hot grill and cook for five to seven minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

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.

STUFFED CABBAGE (KåLDOLMAR)

Steps:

• Cabbage and rice: Cut out the core of the cabbage with a sharp knife. Remove the large, bitter outer leaves from the cabbage and discard. Carefully pull off the remaining larger leaves (about 10 of them), keeping them whole and as undamaged as possible. (Reserve the remaining cabbage for another use, such as Hugh Acheson's Apple-Cabbage Slaw). Meanwhile, add rice, milk, and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a low simmer and cook uncovered until the grains absorb the milk, stirring occasionally, 10-20 minutes.
• Onion and potatoes: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; sauté onions until soft, stirring occasionally, 4-5 minutes. Set aside for the meat filling. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover. Add a big pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until soft, 10-12 minutes. While the potatoes are simmering, check the rice. The mixture should begin to look like a porridge, with the grains intact. (This will act as a binder for the meat, as well as providing moisture.)
• Cabbage: Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; blanch the cabbage leaves in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or until pliable. Remove leaves and immediately plunge them into the ice bath to stop the cooking. Set aside on paper towels to dry. Meanwhile, check the rice mixture. When the rice has absorbed all the milk, spread it on a plate to quickly cool, 5 minutes. (Note: Rice can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.)
• Meat filling: In a large mixing bowl, add beef, pork, eggs, sautéed onions, milk, a big pinch salt (about 1 teaspoon) and white pepper (about 1 teaspoon), and the cooled rice. Combine well with your hands, a whisk, or wooden spoon. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed.) To check the seasoning, fry a small bit of the meat mixture and taste it.
• Assemble rolls: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Carefully cut out 1 inch of the thick center vein from the leaves, so they will be easier to roll up. Place 3-4 tablespoons of the meat filling (depending on the size of the cabbage leaf) into the center of a leaf and, starting at what was the stem-end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling (like a burrito). Place the roll seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat, arranging the rolls side by side in rows. Drizzle agave syrup over rolls and bake, 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, remove dish from oven. Pour enough broth over the rolls to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Place back in oven for another 20 minutes.
• Sauce: Cabbage rolls are done when brown on top and the meat is cooked through. Remove cabbage rolls from the dish and strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a skillet. Bring liquid to a boil and reduce by half, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Whisk in cream, add a pinch of salt, and continue boiling to thicken slightly, 1 more minute. (Sauce will be on the brothy side.) Meanwhile, drain the potatoes and place in a bowl; add 1 tablespoon butter and salt to taste.
• Place cabbage rolls and potatoes on a plate; add a few dollops of lingonberry jam on the side. Drizzle sauce over everything. Serve.

STUFFED CABBAGE LEAVES (KAALDOLMER)

Steps:

• Cut the core from a large cabbage and cook in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain, cool slightly, and remove 24 large outer leaves.
• Simmer 2 tbsp rice in 2 cups milk for 40 minutes. Cool.
• Mix 1/2 lb ground pork, 1/2 lb ground veal or sirloin, and 1 tsp salt. Gradually beat in 5 eggwhites, one at a time, beating vigorously after each addition. Slowly add the rice mixture to make a smooth creamy filling. Stir in 1/4 tsp ground white pepper and 1 medium onion, minced.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut the heavy thick part of the stalks from the cabbage leaves. Take one leaf at a time and overlap slightly to close up the opening left by removing the stalk. Put a tablespoon of the meat filling on each leaf. Roll leaf over once, turn sides over filling, then roll to the end of leaf, completely enclosing the filling.
• Arrange the rolls in a buttered baking pan (9x12 1/2 inches). Add 1 10 1/2 oz can of beef consomme and spread each roll with 1/2 tsp molasses. Bake in the moderately hot oven for 30 minutes. Turn each roll and bake for 30 minutes longer.
• Arrange the cabbage rolls side by side in a warm serving casserole.
• For the sauce:.
• Stir into liquid remaining in pan: 1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water. Cook over direct heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls.