My Mother's Cooking - Stuffed Cabbage Prepared Two Different Ways

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Stuffed Cabbage Prepared Two Different Ways

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When my mother cooked stuffed cabbage, she made it pretty much the same way that most people make it. She mixed ground beef with rice and minced onions. Then she blanched a head of cabbage to soften the leaves and she stuffed the larger ones with the meat mixture and rolled each one into its own individual packet. Finally, the stuffed cabbages were cooked in seasoned tomato sauce.

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This is the stuffed cabbage that I remember growing up with when I was a child. I still make it that way today occasionally and this version is described first.

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Years later, when I was on my own, I went through a brief period where I studied French cooking. One of the recipes that I came across made stuffed cabbage in a completely different way. Instead of stuffing individual leaves, the cabbage was reassembled on a large piece of cheesecloth starting with a layer of the largest leaves first.

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A layer of meat mixture was spread over them and then a second layer of smaller leaves was added. This was repeated until all of the leaves and the meat were used up. Finally, the corners of the cheesecloth was pulled together and tied forcing everything back into the form of a cabbage.

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This reassembled cabbage was then cooked in sauce. When everything was done, the cheesecloth was removed and the entire cabbage was served on a platter in one piece, which was then cut into serving sized wedges. Somewhat different ingredients were used in the stuffing and everything was simmered in a chicken-based tomato sauce. The second recipe is based on this stuffed cabbage variation.

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My Mother’s Stuffed Cabbage

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Difficulty:

Moderate

Preparation Time:

60 Minutes

Cooking Time:

2 Hours @ 300 F

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Ingredients:

1 Lb. of Lean Ground Beef

1 Large Head of Cabbage

1 Onion finely chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic minced

2-14 Oz. Cans of Crushed Tomatoes

1 Egg lightly beaten

2 Cups of Cooked Rice

2 Teaspoons of Thyme

1 Bay Leaf

1 Teaspoon Hungarian Sweet Paprika

1 Teaspoon Salt

Pepper to taste

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Preparation:

1. Core the cabbage and submerge it repeatedly in boiling water until all of the leaves can be separated.
2. Immediately plunge it into cold water to set the color.
3. Remove the eight largest leaves and cut out the thickest part of the main stem. Chop any remaining leaves and add them to the sauce.
4. In a large bowl, mix the ground meat, the cooked rice, the onion, the chopped garlic, the paprika, the salt and the pepper. Add the egg and mix thoroughly with your hands.
5. Working with one leaf at a time, add one eighth of the meat mixture and roll the leaf into a package, tucking in the sides as you go. Secure each leaf with a toothpick.
6. In a Dutch oven or large casserole dish, arrange the cabbage rolls in a single layer.
7. Pour the crushed tomatoes over them and add the bay leaf and the thyme,
8. Bake covered in a 300 F oven for 1-1/2 hours. Adjust the seasoning before serving if necessary.

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Reassembled Stuffed Cabbage Head

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Difficulty:

Moderate

Preparation Time:

60 Minutes

Cooking Time:

2 Hours @ 300 F

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Ingredients:

1 Piece of Cheesecloth about 2 Feet by four feet. Fold in half.

1 Large Head of Cabbage

1 Lb. of Lean Ground Pork

8 Oz. of Fresh Mushrooms washed and chopped

1 Small Onion finely chopped

2 Carrots scraped and chopped

2 Stalks of Celery chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic minced

¼ Stick of Butter

2 Teaspoons of Thyme

1 Teaspoon Salt

Black Pepper to Taste

1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg

1 Cup of Panko Bread Crumbs

1 Egg lightly beaten　

1-14 Oz. Cans of Whole Tomatoes

1-32 Oz, Box of Chicken Broth

1 Bay Leaf

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　Preparation:

1. Core the cabbage and submerge it repeatedly in boiling water until all of the leaves can be separated.
2. Immediately plunge it into cold water to set the color.
3. In a large skillet, melt the butter and sauté the chopped onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms and garlic. Season with the salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg.
4. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, sautéed vegetables, breadcrumbs and beaten egg and mix thoroughly.
5. Spread the folded cheesecloth out on a table and begin to reassemble the cabbage starting with the largest leaves first.
6. Spread the leaves with a layer of the meat mixture and continue with a second set of leaves.
7. Discard any hard pieces near the center of the cabbage.
8. Carefully gather together the four corners of the cheesecloth to reform the cabbage into a sphere and tie the ends together tightly with string. Cut off any excess cheesecloth.
9. Add the whole tomatoes to a deep baking dish or Dutch oven and break the tomatoes into several pieces using a large wooden spoon.
10. Add the bay leaf and the chicken broth and place the cabbage in the pot with the tied side up. If necessary, add water or broth so that the entire head is just covered.
11. Bake in a 300 F oven for two hours.
12. Remove the cabbage and carefully cut away the cheesecloth. Arrange the head on a serving platter with the large leaves on top.
13. Cut the cabbage into pie shaped serving wedges.
14. Meanwhile reduce the sauce by about half, adjust the seasoning and serve it in a gravy boat along with some boiled or oven roasted potatoes.

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