I confess; I’m not a great lover of cabbage. However, recently, I nabbed one at my neighborhood grocer (produce section) with the plan of making yours truly a dish of stuffed cabbage. I’ve cooked it once or twice in the past and enjoyed.Thus, I decided to revisit the cruciferous dish. I also added a huge input of dear old lycopene in the form of one of my faves, tomatoes. And, I loaded up a great amount of veggies. Like most dishes, everyone place their special spin. So here is my variation to stuffed cabbage. The other ingredients are:
Of course, other ingredients included:
- Minced turkey (1/2lb)
- Italian sausage (1/4lb)
- Cooked brown rice (1 cup)
- Raisins (1/2 cup)
- Medley of veggies
- Olive oil (drizzle) (canola or any oil of choice)
- Onion (L) 1/2
- Fresh tomatoes (4)
- Canned tomatoes (2-14ozs)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garlic (2 cloves)
- Dried basil and oregano (1/4 tsp)
- Sugar (1/4 cup)
- Red wine vinegar or any house vinegar (1/4)
Cored cabbage in pot with simmering sweet/sour tomato sauce
Preparation:
1. Remove core from cabbage.
2. In a sturdy stock pot, whole cabbage is boiled in salted water for 3 minutes. Then cool under cold tap water.
3. When cabbage is cool enough to handle, use paring knife or any knife to cut/remove tough center. (I used twelve leaves)
4. In sauce pot, drizzle oil and soften diced onion and garlic. Add finely chopped tomatoes and canned tomatoes and season along with salt and pepper to taste. Add other dried seasoning along with sugar and vinegar.
5. Allow sweet and sour tomato sauce to simmer until it’s thickened to desired consistency. Set aside.
6. In hot skillet, drizzle oil and brown turkey/sausage. Make sure to season with salt, pepper, garlic, onion, dried basil oregano along with a dash of balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
7. Finely chop veggies (carrot, onion, bell pepper, etc.) and do a quick stir-fry (five minutes) of them. Remove from stove and add cooked rice, turkey/sausage, raisins and combine.
8. Use a measuring cup (1/4) or spoon to fill prepared cabbage leaves.
9. Place a layer of sweet/sour tomato sauce at bottom of baking dish.
10. Fold cabbage leaves and place in waiting baking dish. Spoon on sweet/sour tomato sauce on top. Cover with foil.
11. Bake in heated 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes.
12. Remove foil at the last five minutes. Serve hot. Add extra sauce if needed.
Guys, as always, be kind to your loved ones as well as your beautiful palates. Enjoy!