This recipe makes 18-20 cabbage rolls (about 5 servings).
Ingredients:
Ingredients for meat filling:
- 1/2 lb. (227 g) ground chicken or turkey, 95% lean
- 1/2 lb. (227 g) ground pork, 95% lean
- 1/3 cup grated low fat cheddar cheese
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. basil, finely chopped or 1/3 tsp. dried basil
- 3 tbsp. bread crumbs or panko
- 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. ketchup
- 1 tbsp. white wine, sherry or sake
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- a pinch of black pepper
Ingredients for sauce:
- 2 15 oz. cans (3 3/4 cups) tomato sauce (900 g total)
- 2 cups (500 cc) water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. finely chopped basil or 1/3 tsp. dried basil
- 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
- salt to taste
Directions:
- Microwave a whole cabbage in a glass bowl covered with a ceramic plate on high for 7-9 minutes or
until leaves are soft enough to separate them being torn.
- Mix all the ingredients for the meat filling in a bowl.
- After the cabbage becomes cool enough to handle, carefully peel off a cabbage leaf. At the
base of each cabbage leaf, there is a thick vertical
spine that extends for about 2 to 3 inches. Make a few perpendicular cuts along this spine; this will
make it easier to roll the cabbage. Peel and prepare all of the cabbage leaves in this manner.
- Place 2 tbsp. of meat filling on the inside of the cabbage leaf,
at the base and roll once. Fold the left and right sides toward the center and finish rolling.
Repeat for the rest of the meat filling and cabbage leaves.
- In a large, deep pot mix the ingredients for the sauce. Place all the cabbage rolls carefully in the pot,
folded-side down.
The sauce should cover the rolls. If not, push rolls into the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat
to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour. If you are using a pressure cooker, cook for 15 minutes.
- Serve over pasta or with rice.