Friday, January 17, 2014

Stuffed Cabbage

     This is a Pennsylvania Dutch staple, also known as "pigs in a blanket," but without ground meat.  Many filling substitutions and additions work well.  December, January and February are the best months to buy cabbage in Florida.  Use canned tomato sauce if you're pressed for time.  Good as leftovers, for lunch.

Cabbage:
     2 cabbages, cored, with whole leaves separated

     Plunge cabbage leaves into a pot of boiling water and cook 1-3 minute, until flexible enough to fold.  Remove gently to collander and allow to cool.

 Filling
     4 cups rice, cooked
     2/3 c olive oil
     2 large onions, diced
     8 stalks celery, diced
     8 carrots, peeled and diced
     6 cloves garlic, minced
     1 cup chopped pecans
     1/2 cup nutritional yeast
     2 Tbsp dried basil
     1 Tbsp dried sage
     2 tsp pepper
     2 tsp salt
     4 Tbsp soy sauce or Liquid Aminos

     To cook rice, rinse three times, then cover with 6 1/2 cups water. add 1 tsp salt, bring to boil, cover, and cook over very low heat for 45 min.
     Heat olive oil in large skillet and saute onions, celery, carrots, and garlic until soft.  Add nutritional yeast basil, sage, pepper, and salt, mixing thoroughly.  Sprinkle in pecans and add rice and soy sauce, stirring to mix.

Tomato Sauce:
     1/4 cup olive oil
     1 large onion, minced
     2 cloves garlic, minced
     10 tomatoes, diced, or 2 large cans stewed or diced tomatoes
     1 Tbsp dried oregano
     2 Tbsp dried basil
     2 can tomato paste
`    1 Tbsp salt

     Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent.  Add tomatoes, spices and tomato paste.  Cook over low heat for 30 min or more, until flavors meld.

     To compose:  Gently fill each cabbage leaf with spoonfuls of filling, roll into cylinders, and place in oiled casserole or baking dish with the folded side down.  Line the stuffed cabbage roles side by side and cover with tomato sauce.  This makes two casseroles full of stuffed cabbage.  Cover with lid or tin foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Serve with fruit salad, carrot-raisin salad, or Waldorf salad, to add crunch and sweetness to the meal. 
    
     

     



     
     
    

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