Middle Eastern Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Serves 4
Crinkly savoy cabbage leaves (which pull apart more easily than white cabbage) are stuffed with a combination of lentils, currants, and olives, then blanketed in a spicy tomato sauce. Serve over rice.
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
- ¾ cup dried French or du Puy green lentils
- 8 large savoy cabbage leaves, ribs removed
- ⅓ cup dried currants
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
- 3 Tbs. lemon juice, divided
- 1 15-oz. can low-sodium tomato sauce
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp. dried marjoram
- ¼ tsp. ground allspice
1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add lentils and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
2. Bring pot of water to a boil. Blanch cabbage leaves 6 minutes, or until tender. Rinse under cold water, and drain.
3. Mash half of lentil mixture in bowl. Stir in remaining lentils, currants, olives, and 1 Tbs. lemon juice.
4. Combine tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, remaining 2 Tbs. lemon juice, cumin, marjoram, and allspice in bowl. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray, then coat bottom with 1/2 cup sauce.
5. Lay 1 cabbage leaf on work surface. Spoon 1/3 cup lentil mixture in center of leaf, fold sides inward, and roll tightly. Place seam side down in dish. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling. Pour remaining sauce over rolls; cover with foil.
STORE/SERVE Refrigerate 3 days, or freeze 1 month. If frozen, thaw overnight in refrigerator. To bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake cabbage rolls, covered, 1 hour. Uncover, baste with sauce, bake 10 minutes more, and serve.
March 2013 p.60
at a glance
It needs something else to go with it like rice maybe. It's fairly easy, and my husband loved it. I thought there was too much tomato sauce and something to balance it out.
Jennifer - 2013-04-29 17:20:26