pat's Recipe

Sweet & Sour Cabbage Rolls

Category: German Beef Entrees

1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup water
1 large Savoy cabbage, (about 3 pounds)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1 pound 93 percent-lean ground Beef (or turkey)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey

Preparation
1. Bring rice and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the water is absorbed, 25-30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, bring a Dutch oven full of water to a boil over high heat. Boil the 12 largest outer cabbage leaves for 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water until room temperature. Chop enough of the remaining cabbage to equal 2 cups. (Save the rest for another use.)

3. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and the chopped cabbage. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add 4 tablespoons lemon juice; cook, stirring, until the liquid has almost evaporated. Let cool for 10 minutes.

4. Mix beef, dill, caraway, salt, pepper, the onion mixture and cooled rice in a large bowl.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9” x 13” pan with cooking spray.

6. Lay one cabbage leaf on your work surface; cut out the thick stem. Place about 1/3 cup of the beef mixture in the leaf’s center. Fold the sides over the filling, then roll closed. Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling. Whisk tomato sauce, broth, honey and the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a medium bowl. Pour evenly over the rolls. Cover the pan tightly with foil.

7. Bake the cabbage rolls for 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking, basting the rolls with sauce several times, for 20 minutes more.

Serves 6.