In writing the Stuffed Cabbage might sound like a simple dish but it is rich with a burst of flavour. Originating from Poland, it is a rustic dish that is hearty and definitely makes you feel at home (or in Poland) when you are missing your loved ones.
In order to make a good stuffed cabbage, you need the best ingredients and careful planning but if you do it right, you will definitely get a rustic dish that will satisfy your soul as much as it satisfies your taste buds.
Ingredients:
- 2 yellow onions, chopped
- ½ cup of raisins
- 1 large head of Savoy Cabbage, keep the outer leaves
- 2 cans of crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup of red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- For the fillings:
- 2 ½ pound of minced beef or pork
- ½ cup of finely chopped yellow onions
- ½ cup of uncooked white rice
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs, dried
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Cooking Method:
- To make the sauce, heat olive oil in a pan under medium heat and sauté the onions for about 8 minutes.
- Add the raisins, crushed tomatoes, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper and bring it to boil. Once it is done boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Stir continuously to avoid the sauce from burning. Set aside.
- Boil water in a separate pot. Remove the entire core of the cabbage and immerse the rest of the cabbage in the water for a few minutes. Peel all the leaves as the cabbage starts wilting and set the leaves aside.
- Start making the fillings by combining the minced beef or pork, onions, breadcrumbs, eggs, rice, thyme, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Add a cup of sauce from the pot to the mixture and mix lightly with a fork.
- To assemble the dish, place a generous amount of fillings onto individual cabbage leaves, tuck each edge and roll to secure the filling. Fill a cup of sauce in the bottom of a Dutch oven and layer the stuffed cabbage on the sauce. Add more sauce and stuffed cabbage alternately until you have placed all the cabbage and sauce is in the pan. Cover the dish tightly and bake for an hour or until the meat and rice is cooked under 190°C.
- Serve while its hot.
