Joan Nathans Ultimate Stuffed Cabbage Recipes

Steps:

• For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, raisins, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Remove the entire core of the cabbage with a paring knife. Immerse the head of cabbage in the boiling water for a few minutes, peeling off each leaf with tongs as soon as it s flexible. Set the leaves aside. Depending on the size of each leaf, you will need at least 14 leaves.
• For the filling, in a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, eggs, onion, breadcrumbs, rice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add 1 cup of the sauce to the meat mixture and mix lightly with a fork.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To assemble, place 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Remove the hard triangular rib from the base of each cabbage leaf with a small paring knife. Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of filling in an oval shape near the rib edge of each leaf and roll up toward the outer edge, tucking the sides in as you roll. Place half the cabbage rolls, seam sides down, over the sauce. Add more sauce and more cabbage rolls alternately until you ve placed all the cabbage rolls in the pot. Pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover the dish tightly with the lid and bake for 1 hour or until the meat is cooked and the rice is tender. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Mix the cranberry sauce, tomato sauce, 1 cup water, lemon, and sugar in a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil; then add the raisins and the fresh cranberries.
• Peel, core, and dice the apple and add.
• Simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Core the cabbage and place in a large pot with water to cover.
• Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until wilted.
• Cover with cold water and drain.
• (Alternately, you can place the cored cabbage in the freezer for several days. Defrost 24 hours before making the cabbage. It will wilt naturally.) In a large bowl mix the meat, rice, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, egg, onion, 1/2 cup water, and ketchup, blending with your fingers until well mixed.
• Trim the ribs off the cabbage, remove the outside leaves, and line a large flameproof casserole with them.
• Pull off the inside leaves and place them one by one on a board, outside down.
• Fill with a heaping tablespoon or two of the filling, depending on the size of the leaf.
• Fold up like an envelope, top first, then bottom and then the 2 sides.
• Place seam side down in the lined casserole.
• Repeat with the rest of the cabbage and the filling.
• Pour the sauce over the stuffed cabbage and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.
• Then place the stuffed cabbage in a preheated 300 degree Fahrenheit oven and bake, uncovered, for one half hour more.
• Tip: Another American way to make this dish is to make a sauce of 3/4 cup ketchup, 1- 1/2-2 cups tomato juice, 3/4 cup brown sugar, the juice of 1 large lemon, and sour salt to taste.
• Make this dish ahead.
• It tastes much better the next day.
• Also, this is a good recipe to double.
• Freeze one portion for unexpected guests.