Easy Cabbage Rolls

A roll can be an interesting meal filler either as a snack, starter or simply some thing to munch upon. And this is what this article is all about, some easy to prepare cabbage rolls. The whole thought of eating cabbage is not at all appealing to me, however, there are ways to ensure that one does not miss out this leafy greens nutrition. And just learning how to make simple rolls with cabbage will ensure not only nutrition but with lots of taste.

A cabbage roll is a dish made by stuffing a variety of fillings that include herbs, meat and vegetables wrapped around cooked, steamed or raw cabbage leaves. These rolls with their stuffing can be steamed, boiled, baked or shallow fried. Traditional fillings include rice and a small portion of meat, but now the fillings completely depend upon an individual choice. It is often accompanied with a tomato based sauce, plain sour cream, some yogurt or lemon and olive oil vinaigrette.

Cabbage Roll Recipe

Ingredients:

• Ground beef, 1 pound
• Ground pork, 1 pound
• Steamed white rice, 1½ cup
• Egg, 1
• Tomato paste, 2 tbsp
• Chopped onion, 1
• Minced garlic, 2 cloves
• Olive oil, 1¼ cup
• Chopped parsley, 2 tbsp
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Green cabbage heads, 2

Heat one cup of olive oil in a skillet. Add onion and garlic, sauté until soft. Add tomato paste and parsley, stir for a minute and take it off the heat. In a large bowl, mix together ground beef and pork along with egg, rice and sautéed onion and garlic. Season the mixture and toss to mix well.

Boil water with some salt in a large pot. Peel off the first couple of cabbage leaves from the head, cut out the cores, and separate whole leaves carefully. Blanch only whole, large cabbage leaves, and when a slight change in color occurs, drain and run them under cold water immediately. Lay them on a flat board, and depending upon the size of the roll you want, cut them from center. Spoon meat and rice filling accordingly in the center of the cabbage, roll by folding the sides. If you need, secure rolls with the help of a sewing thread. Take all left over leaves (reserving some) and arrange them on a baking dish. Place the rolls seam side down, side by side in rows in the baking dish. Place the reserved cabbage leaves over the rolls, and bake in a pre-heated oven for an hour. Serve hot with a sauce of your choice.

Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• Chopped red tomatoes, 1 cup
• Crushed garlic, 2 cloves
• Olive oil, 2 tbsp
• Wine vinegar, 2 tbsp
• Sugar, ½ tbsp

Heat oil in a saucepan, add garlic and sauté until soft. Add the tomatoes, stir and cook, until softened. Add the wine vinegar and sugar, stir and let it simmer, until the sauce thickens, to a desired consistency. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

While making cabbage rolls, make sure you use fresh green leaves that have no discoloration or spots. Try making these rolls with plenty of other variations, and medium such as steaming, shallow frying or boiling and enjoy with the tangy sweet and sour tomato sauce.