Seafood Stuffed Cabbage

SHRIMP-STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Bring pot of water to a boil, and add salt. Meanwhile, remove enough outer leaves of cabbage to get 8 large, nearly perfect leaves. Use a paring knife to remove their thickest vein. Put leaves in boiling water until softened, a minute or so; remove, and drain on paper towels.
• Combine shrimp, garlic, parsley, bread crumbs, cayenne, half the oil and a large pinch of salt in food processor, and pulse until well minced but not puréed. Put portion of shrimp mixture on lower third of each leaf, fold in sides and roll up; don't overstuff, and don't roll too tightly.
• Put remaining oil in a skillet that can be covered and is large enough to accommodate cabbage rolls; turn heat to medium-high. Add onion, and stir occasionally, until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and some salt and pepper, and stir occasionally until tomatoes break up, 5 to 10 minutes. Add cabbage rolls, and cover, adjusting the heat so the mixture simmers.
• Cook 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until rolls are firm; taste sauce to adjust seasoning. Serve with some sauce spooned over and garnished with parsley.

SEAFOOD-STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325°. For the sauce, melt the butter in a cast iron pot over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add the flour; whisking briskly until it is thoroughly incorporated. Let the mixture bubble for 1 minute, but don't let it darken. Add the shallot, thyme, and cayenne and continue to whisk as you stir in the seafood broth and wine. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until it thickens nicely. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and refrigerate.
• 2. For the cabbage, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, and garlic and sweat until soft. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and mix in the shrimp, eggs, bread, milk, Tabasco, and celery salt. Carefully fold in the crabmeat, keeping the lumps intact. Cool the seafood filling while you blanch the cabbage leaves.
• 3. Bring a big pot of salted water to boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby to cool the leaves as they blanch. Add the cabbage leaves one at a time to the boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Transfer to the ice water, then quickly remove from the water and drain flat on towels.
• 4. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the seafood mixture into the center of each cabbage leaf and roll up burrito-style. Pour the seafood sauce into the bottom of the cleaned cast iron pot. Carefully place each cabbage roll, seam-side down, snugly together over the sauce. There should be enough sauce to rise halfway up the sides of the rolls. Bake, covered, for 20-25 minutes.