75 min
Lamb Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Recipe GLPR499a9e1b855be3
Tender cabbage leaves filled with seasoned ground lamb, breadcrumbs, and aromatics, then baked in a rich tomato and veal stock sauce. Served with roasted potatoes, creamy chive sour cream, and crumbled feta cheese for a hearty Eastern European-inspired main course.
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Ingredients
1 head Savoy cabbage
1 pound ground lamb
2 onions, finely chopped (1 for filling, 1 for sauce)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped (1/2 inch for filling, 1/2 inch for sauce)
1 fresh red chile pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 for filling, 1 for sauce)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 cups veal stock
1 cup crumbled Greek feta cheese, for garnish
Roasted potatoes, for serving
Chive sour cream, for serving
Directions
Core the whole Savoy cabbage by cutting out the center stem with a sharp knife. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and carefully place the entire cabbage head in the water. Boil for about 5 minutes until the leaves soften and begin to separate. Using tongs, carefully transfer the cabbage to a large bowl filled with ice-cold water to stop the cooking process immediately.
Once cooled, gently separate the softened cabbage leaves and lay them flat on paper towels to drain. Thinly slice the remaining inner cabbage core and any leaves that are too small to use as wraps, then set aside to use in the sauce.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, one finely chopped onion, breadcrumbs, egg, minced cilantro, 1/2 inch finely chopped fresh ginger, minced red chile pepper, 1 minced garlic clove, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until well combined, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove any thick or tough veins from the cabbage leaves using a sharp knife to make them more pliable. Place one prepared cabbage leaf on a cutting board with the smooth side down. Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of the lamb filling onto the center-lower portion of the leaf. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then fold in both sides toward the center, and roll up tightly into a compact cylinder. If the roll is loose, secure it with a small toothpick or wooden skewer. Repeat this process with the remaining leaves and filling.
Arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls seam-side down in a 13 by 9-inch oven-safe baking dish, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.
To prepare the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the second finely chopped onion and the reserved sliced cabbage, then sauté for approximately 10 minutes until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize. Reduce heat to low, add the remaining minced garlic clove and 1/2 inch finely chopped fresh ginger, and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
Add the seeded and chopped tomatoes and veal stock to the saucepan, stirring well to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, then increase heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the arranged cabbage rolls in the baking dish, ensuring the rolls are partially submerged. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 50 minutes until the rolls are heated through and the lamb reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. To serve, carefully transfer 2 cabbage rolls to each plate, ladle sauce over the top, and garnish generously with crumbled feta cheese. Serve alongside roasted potatoes and chive sour cream on the side.
