Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

step-by-step directions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cabbage: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Core your head of cabbage, but keep the head in tact. Lower in to the boiling water, core side down. As the leaves start to peel away and become soft and pliable, about 3 to 5 minutes, remove them to a plate. When you get 12 to 14 leaves, remove what’s left of the head of cabbage. Set aside.
• For the sauce: Heat the tomato sauce over medium heat. Bring the stock to a boil in a separate pot. Thin the tomato sauce with a few ladles of chicken stock, until almost as loose as water. Season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes.
• For the Stuffing: In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat, minced onion, rice, thyme, parsley and 1 cup of spicy tomato sauce. Season with some cracked black pepper and at least 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix well until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
• To make the rolls: Slice what’s left of the head of cabbage and place in the bottom of a 13×9 or roasting pan in an even layer. Make a v cut in each cabbage leaf, removing the hard part of the core. Place a heaping 1/3 cup of the meat mixture on to the cabbage leaf and roll, tucking in the sides after the first fold. Place in a deep 13×9 pan or roasting pan, seam side down on top of the sliced cabbage. Repeat until you finish all of the rolls, totaling 12 or 13. Pour the sauce over the rolls, cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the meat and rice is cooked through. *You can also add the rolls to the pot or dutch oven you made the sauce in, lid it, and bake in the oven.

From The Chew – Michael Symon