Stuffed Cabbage with Dill

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

It hurts to own up to the fact that the number one post on my blog is the cabbage roll of Lidia Bastianich that I featured some time ago. It even beat the cheesecake post that held the number one spot for the longest time. To prove that I'm not a sore loser, I decided to go with what you guys like and present another recipe of cabbage rolls. I've been thinking about this for some time now but I just never really got to actually making it. 

This version is more of the basic kind and is very simple in terms of its flavor and preparation. Adapted from my Good Housekeeping cookbook, this is a dish that you can serve any time of the year. The filling is made with cooked white rice which acts both as an extender and the binder. It absorbs the flavor of the tomato sauce really well without being overpowered by it. 

Sauteed Cabbage with Dill - Adapted*

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

1 medium head of 
  cabbage (about 3 lbs)
1 cup cooked long 
  grain rice
2 tbsp butter
2 medium onions, diced
1 lb ground pork
1 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 28-oz canned diced 
  tomatoes


1. Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add half the 
   onions and saute until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the 
   tomatoes and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer 
   for 30 minutes. Set aside. 

2. Fill a big pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the cabbage to the 
    boiling water and start cutting the leaves off the core using a knife and 
    a fork. Make sure the leaves have softened to ensure that they come 
    out intact. You will need 12 full leaves.   

3. In a saute pan, melt the remaining butter and add the remaining onions 
    and saute over medium heat. Cook until softened and season with salt and 
    pepper. Let cool. 

4. Combine the sauteed onions, ground pork, rice and dill. Mix well and 
    season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Divide into 12 portions. 

Cabbage Rolls
Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

5. Preheat the oven to 
    350°F. Take one filling 
    portion and lay on the 
    edge of a cabbage and 
    fold the two sides over 
    the filling then roll up 
    jelly-roll style. Do the 
    same for the rest of 
    the filling and cabbage 
    leaves. 

6. Arrange the cabbage 
    rolls in a 9x13 baking 
    dish and pour over the 
    tomato sauce. Cover with foil and bake for one hour. Serve with a 
    drizzle of olive oil. 

Note: 
To prepare cabbage rolls, place blanched leaves, ribside up on a work surface. Holding knife almost parallel to the work surface, trim the rib so that the leaves are almost flat. 

*Westmoreland, S.,Editor: Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Main Dishes, Hearst Books, New York: 1999.