| Portions |
|---|
| 8 |
Ingredients
- 1 savoy cabbage, frozen, thawed, and leaves separated, see recipe note
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 small yellow onions
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- Salt & pepper
- 227g mushrooms
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 60g walnuts
- 3 cups cooked rice
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill, divided
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, divided
- 1 egg
- 1 (796ml) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup vegetable broth or water
- 1–2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
- Cut the tough centre rib from the bottom of 16 cabbage leaves and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
- Roughly chop the onion, carrot, and celery and add to the bowl of your food processor along with the garlic. Pulse until finely chopped then transfer to the pan, season with the thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook until softened and lightly golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- Place the skillet back over medium heat and add in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add the mushrooms to the food processor and pulse to finely chop. Add to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms into the bowl and season with the cumin and smoked paprika.
- Add the walnuts to the food processor and pulse to finely chop. Add to the bowl along with the cooked rice, 2 ¼ cup each of dill and parsley, and egg and stir well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the crushed tomatoes, garlic, broth or water, brown sugar to taste, and remaining 2 tablespoons each of dill and parsley and set aside.
- If you’re prepping ahead and planning on freezing portions of two, grease four foil pans or freezer-to-oven safe containers that are approximately 6- by 8-inches each with non-stick cooking spray. If making a full batch immediately, grease a 9- by 12-inch baking dish. Pour two-thirds of the sauce into to pan(s) and spread across the bottom.
- Working with one cabbage leaf at a time, scoop about ½ cup of the rice filling onto the cabbage and tightly roll, tucking in the edges and any filing that escapes. Place the roll into the prepared pan, seam side down, and continue until all the cabbage and filling is used. If prepping ahead and making four separate pans, each pan should have four rolls. Pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls.
- If making ahead, cover and store the rolls in the fridge for up to 3 days or transfer the pans into freezer bags and freezer for up to 3 months. To cook the rolls, heat your oven to 350ºF. Cook, covered with foil, for 30 minutes from the fridge or for about 1 hour if frozen or until heated through. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes for a little colour on top.
Recipe Note: Traditionally, cabbage leaves are removed through repeatedly blanching and peeling away the layers of cabbage. To avoid this rather labour-intensive method, I prefer freezing and thawing my cabbage which breaks down and softens the leaves just enough to make the pliable and perfect for separating and rolling. Prepare the cabbage by trimming or removing the core with a paring knife and placing in a bag or wrapping in plastic. Place in the freezer until solid then set in the sink or fridge to defrost. Remove the leaves and set aside.