Americas Test Kitchen Stuffed Cabbage Recipes

STUFFED CABBAGE WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the cabbage rolls: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cabbage leaves and cook, until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the leaves into a colander in the sink and refresh under cold running water. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, place the beef, rice, sour cream, and 2 teaspoons salt.
• Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the paprika and allspice and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Add the onion mixture to the beef mixture, and mix until well combined. Season with pepper to taste.
• Lay the cabbage leaves on a work surface and blot dry with paper towels. Slice off the ridged part of the thick rib at the bottom each leaf, creating a level surface over the leaves. Place about 1/2 cup of the beef mixture in the bottom center of each roll. Roll the bottom of a leaf over the beef mixture, fold in the sides, and continue rolling forward until completely closed. Repeat with the remaining leafs. Arrange the rolls seam side-down in a 9-x 13- x 2- inch oval gratin dish.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Make the tomato sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the tomatoes, broth, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and season with pepper to taste. Pour over the cabbage rolls and cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour.
• Remove the foil from the baking dish and continue cooking, basting occasionally, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes more. Serve in the gratin dish.

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to boil in large dutch oven over high heat. Add cored cabbage and cook until outer leaves just begin to wilt, about 3 minutes. Use tongs to gently remove leaves (outer 20) one by one and transfer to a colander to cool. Remove any remaining head of cabbage and let cool. Do not discard water.
• Return water to boil over high heat. Add rice and cook until tender, about 13 minutes. Drain the rice through a strainer, rinse it to cool, and let drain thoroughly. In a medium bowl, combine cooked rice, onion, beef, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
• Trim tough ribs from cabbage leaves and tightly roll 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture into each leaf. Shred the remaining blanched cabbage both the head and any remaining leaves.
• Scatter half the shredded cabbage leaves in a large dutch oven. Arrange rolls seam side down snugly on top of the shredded cabbage. Sprinkle any remaining shredded cabbage on top of rolls.
• Combine diced tomatoes w/ juice, tomato puree, water (I use water left over from rice) 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pour liquid over cabbage. Stud peeled onion with cloves and submerge in liquid. Bring mixture to boil, then reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
• Discard clove studded onion. Sprinkle crushed cookies and raisins (if using) into the pot and shake to incorporate them without disturbing rolls. Simmer uncovered until sauce begins to thicken, about 1 hour.
• If you desire more liquid, add 1 cup of beef broth.
• Transfer rolls to serving dish and add remaining 3 tablespoons of brown sugar to sauce and season with salt pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over rolls and top with sour cream and chopped parsley if desired.

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.