Recipe of the Day: Classic Cabbage Rolls *Happy St. Patrick’s Day!*

Classic Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients
1 medium head cabbage
1-1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
1 tablespoon butter
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian stewed tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1/4 pound bulk Italian sausage
1/2 cup V8 juice, optional

Directions
In a Dutch oven, cook cabbage in boiling water for 10 minutes or until outer leaves are tender; drain. Rinse in cold water; drain. Remove eight large outer leaves (refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use); set aside.

In a large saucepan, saute 1 cup onion in butter until tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the rice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and remaining onion and salt. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture and mix well.

Remove thick vein from cabbage leaves for easier rolling. Place about 1/2 cup meat mixture on each leaf; fold in sides. Starting at an unfolded edge, roll up leaf to completely enclose filling. Place seam side down in a skillet. Top with the sauce.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Add V8 juice if desired. Reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes longer or until rolls are heated through and a thermometer inserted in the filling reads 160°. Yield: 4 servings.

Prep: 30 min. Cook: 1-1/2 hours Yield: 4 Servings

Recipe found here: Classic Cabbage Rolls

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Recipe of the Day: Ground Beef and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Ground Beef and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup raw long grain rice
1 egg, beaten
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick butter, melted
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large green cabbage, core removed
4 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
1 yellow onion, sliced

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, egg, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, butter, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix very well with your hands, or a wooden spoon, until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully lower the head of cabbage into the water. As the cabbage simmers, the leaves will start to loosen and can be pulled off with a pair of tongs. As each cabbage leaf comes loose, remove it from the simmering water, and into a bowl of cold water. You’ll need about 12 large leaves. Reserve the rest of the cabbage.

When the cabbage leaves are ready, divide the beef and rice mixture into 12 logs. Place the meat at the bottom of the cabbage leaf (where the stem is the thickest) and roll up, folding in the sides as you roll. The rice will expand, so don’t roll too tightly. In saucepan, stir together the beef broth, water, and tomato, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

In a large Dutch oven, or other deep roasting pan with a lid, cover the bottom with some of the leftover cabbage leaves. Place in 6 of the cabbage rolls. Top with the onions, and 1/2 of the hot tomato mixture. Top this layer and the last 6 rolls, and the rest of the tomato mixture. Cover with any remaining leftover cabbage leaves. If needed, add water so that the cabbage rolls are covered by about an inch of liquid.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and use a fork to test one of the rolls to see if the rice is cooked. If it needs more time, add more water, cover, and cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. When done, remove, and let rest covered for 30 minutes before serving.

Cooking Time Note: Some reviewers have stated that more cooking time is needed than stated above. 2 hours and 15 minutes was the suggested time.

Recipe found here: Ground Beef and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

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