Vegetarian Whole Stuffed Cabbage Food

VEGETARIAN STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Remove and discard the first couple leaves of cabbage. Wash in cold water. Cut approx 1/4" off the bottom of the head and place the whole head of cabbage in boiling water. Boil about 2 minutes. Peel off the softened leaves, using a pair of tongs. Continue the same process, peeling off the blanched layers of cabbage leaves as they soften. Set aside to cool briefly.
• Once cooled, cut each cabbage leaf into halves or thirds, removing any thick veins.
• Now prepare the rice stuffing mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice, shredded onions, chopped tomato, herbs, salt and pepper, spices, oil, 1/2 can of tomato sauce and 1/4 cup water. Mix together with a spoon.
• Lightly oil a large Dutch oven or heavy cooking pot. Line the bottom with the sliced onions and sliced tomatoes.
• Take a piece of cabbage and place on a flat surface, coarse side up. Add 1 tsp (more if leaves are larger) of the rice stuffing mixture at the end of the leaf closest to you (see photo). Roll up the leaf to completely enclose the stuffing. Repeat with the remaining cabbage.
• Layer the cabbage rolls, seam-side down, in the prepared Dutch oven/pot. Top with the remaining 1/2 can of tomato sauce, and about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of water (water should barely reach the top layer of cabbage rolls). Add a pinch more ground cumin.
• Top the cabbage rolls with a small plate. Cook on high heat for 5-7 minutes until the liquid reduces to half. Reduce the heat to low. Leaving the small plate in, and cover the pot with its own lid. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove the plate but cover with the lid only. Cook for another 15 minutes or until the liquid has been completely absorbed and the rice stuffing mixture is cooked through.
• If you're not in a hurry, leave the cabbage rolls undisturbed before transferring to a serving platter or individual plates. Enjoy!

VEGETARIAN STUFFED CABBAGE (WW)

Steps:

• Combine barley and water in saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cabbage leaves and return to a boil, cooking for 8-10 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold running water. Drain. Transfer to cutting board and cut off thick ribs from the base of the cabbage leaves -- on some of the leaves I skipped this step.
• Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Spray 9 x 13 pan with Pam.
• In a skillet heat oil and add mushrooms and onion, cook stirring for 5-8 minutes or until softened. Stir in soy sauce and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Stir in barley and parsley. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• Put mixture in a food processor and pulse until chopped -- you will probably have to work in batches.
• Place 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in bottom of baking dish.
• Place 1/3 cup of filling in each cabbage leaf and fold in sides of leaf over filling and roll up.
• Place rolls seam side down in baking dish.
• In a large measuring cup or bowl stir together remaining marinara sauce (1 1/2 cups), water and vinegar. Pour over cabbage rolls.
• Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
• What I did because of didn't estimate the time right is I refrigerated the pan covered and the next day added 1 can of tomatoes and some leftover WW cheese (not sure of the amount) -- cooked at 350 for 30 minutes or so.

WHOLE STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Prepare tomato sauce: In a 3 quart saucepan combine first 6 ingredients.
• Over high heat, heat to boiling.
• Reduce heat to low, simmer covered for about 20 minutes.
• While sauce is cooking, prepare cabbage.
• Discard any tough outer leaves from cabbage, then carefully remove 2 large leaves and set aside.
• Cut out the stem and center of the cabbage, leaving a 1 inch thick shell.
• Dice the cabbage you removed from the center of the head.
• In a 5 quart Dutch oven, over medium heat, cook ground beef, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and 1 cup diced cabbage until meat is browned and cabbage is tender (about 15 minutes).
• Stir in rice and 1 cup of tomato sauce, remove from heat.
• Fill cabbage shell with meat mixture.
• Cover the opening with reserved cabbage leaves, and tie with clean string.
• In same dutch oven, stir in water, scraping to loosen brown bits.
• Add remaining diced cabbage and tomato sauce to pan.
• Place stuffed cabbage head (stem-end down) in sauce; over high heat, heat to boiling.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, basting occasionally, until cabbage is tender (about 1 1/2 hours).
• When done, remove from Dutch oven and place cabbage in a deep platter, remove string.
• Spoon sauce over cabbage, slice cabbage head into wedges to serve.

STUFFED WHOLE CABBAGE

Steps:

• Remove the coarse outside leaves from the cabbage and trim the base. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the cabbage for 7 minutes, then refresh under cold running water, drain well.
• Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, add the onions, season well and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and sage the set aside to cool.
• Whisk the eggs, salt, allspice and pepper together. Pour into a large bowl and add the pork and cooled onion mixture. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley and mix well. Fry a small ball of stuffing to check the seasoning. Adjust the stuffing if necessary-it should be well seasoned, as the cabbage will absorb it.
• Spread a section of clean cheesecloth on the work surface and place the cabbage in the centre.
• Open out the leaves carefully, like a flower until you reach the heart and the leaves are small and too brittle to peel back. Starting with the inside circle of leaves, spread about 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 25 mL) of stuffing onto them, then fold them back around the cabbage heart. Repeat with each layer of leaves, adding more stuffing to the bigger leaves. If you run out of stuffing before the last layer, don't worry, just fold those leaves to reform the cabbage. Bring the cloth up around the cabbage to keep it in place and tie the opposite corners.
• Place the cabbage, thyme, bay leaf and juniper berries into a large saucepan or flameproof casserole, and pour in enough chicken stock to come at least halfway up the side of the cabbage. Add a little water if necessary.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Remove the cabbage and let sit for 10 minutes to drain out excess liquid. Bring the cooking juices to a boil, skim and boil gently to reduce slightly.
• Remove the cloth from the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into wedges, removing the core, if desired, and serve with the some of the cooking juices spooned over.