Some of my favorite ingredients are vegetables that are food staples in other parts of the world. They tend to be inexpensive, easy to come by, very versatile, and there is a wealth of knowledge on different ways to prepare them. Cabbage is one such example of a fantastic food staple in Eastern European, Middle Eastern, and Asian cuisine, that we often overlook in the US (except in coleslaw). This week I experimented with a dish that I have enjoyed in restaurants before, but had never tried on my own. The dish is cabbage rolls stuffed with meats, herbs, and spices, and slowly braised until they are tender and bursting with flavor.
I did not settle on one favorite recipe, but the basic idea is to take boiled (tender) cabbage leaves, and use them as a tortilla of sorts, wrapped around a mixture of ground meat (usually beef), rice, and a generous portion of fresh herbs and spices. Then the rolls are slowly braised for 2-4 hours in a dutch oven with onions, tomatoes, more cabbage, until your house smells incredible! The cooking time on these is long, but the prep is not terribly laborious, and the ingredients are quick and cheap.
Below are two recipes ideas to get you started. The first includes a youtube video showing the dish in its entirety. Enjoy and try something new!
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls a la Aunt Angela
from Food Wishes with Chef John
http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2007/03/stuffed-cabbage-rolls-la-aunt-angela.html
Romanian Cabbage Rolls (Sarmale)
from Jo Cooks
http://www.jocooks.com/main-courses/pork-main-courses/sarmale/
