Middle Eastern Cabbage Rolls Recipes

MIDDLE EASTERN STYLE STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Cut a circle around the stem of the cabbage and remove the core. Carefully place head of cabbage into the boiling water. After about 1-2 minutes, the top leaf will come off easily when tugged with tongs. Remove from the water and transfer to a large clean work surface. Wait another minute and remove the next outer leaf. Continue until you have 10 cabbage leaves removed. Turn off the heat, and discard the rest of the cabbage or reserve for another use. Pat the leaves dry with paper towels. Cut out the thick part of the rib (creating a "V") from the bottom of each leaf, but don't cut more than a third of the way into the leaf.
• In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, melted butter, cooked rice, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper. I use my hands to get it fully combined. With the stem side of the cabbage leaf facing you, divide the meat mixture evenly over the center of each leaf. Fold the bottom edges over the mixture and then fold the sides over and roll tight. Place the cabbage rolls, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
• Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Serve immediately with roasted vegetables, Pita bread and tabbouleh for a full Middle Eastern feast.

LEBANESE STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water (or chicken broth) to a boil.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully remove tough inner core of the cabbage. When water or broth has come to a boil, add the whole head of cabbage (cored) to the pot. In about 2-3 minutes, the cabbage leaves will slowly start to separate from the head. Carefully place them on a plate as they fall off the core.
• In a medium bowl, combine sirloin, rice, salt, pepper, lemon juice, cinnamon and half of the garlic.
• Working one leaf at a time, place 1-2 tablespoons of meat mixture in the middle and roll until meat is covered with cabbage.
• Place stuffed cabbage rolls in the same pot you used to cook the leaves and line them up close together, alternating direction with each layer. Continue until leaves are gone.
• If you have any extra meat mixture, roll them into tiny meatballs and add them on top of the stuffed rolls. Cover stuffed cabbage with water - about ½ in above top layer. Throw in dried mint and remaining 2 crushed garlic cloves. Squeeze any leftover lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Take a small plate and turn it upside down and place on top of rolls.Push down to ensure all rolls are submersed in liquid. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until meat is fully cooked through. Serve with plain yogurt.

MIDDLE EASTERN CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a roasting pan.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add cabbage leaves and cook uncovered until softened, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain. Cut off the rough end of the central stems.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook onion until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, almonds, and golden raisins; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Season with parsley, cumin, and ground cinnamon. Mix in cooked rice and season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon a small amount of rice mixture into the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold sides over the filling and roll cabbage leaf up until the rice is encased. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling. Place the stuffed cabbage rolls in the roasting pan, seam-side down. Pour warm chicken broth over cabbage rolls.
• Bake in the preheated oven until flavors are well combined, about 25 minutes.
• Stir yogurt, mint, allspice, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Refrigerate while cabbage rolls are cooking. Serve with the hot cabbage rolls.

MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the cabbage leaves and put a heavy ladle on top to keep them submerged. Boil for 4 mins, then drain, reserving the water.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Reserve 2 tbsp of the onion, then fry the rest for 10 mins until just golden. Stir in the pine nuts and cook until starting to colour. Add the spices and rice, then pour in 450ml of the reserved water. Stir in the bouillon powder, cover and cook for 15 mins until the rice is almost tender and the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the lentils, zest and mint.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put a spoonful of the rice into the centre of a cabbage leaf, roll up and put in a shallow casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining rice and leaves. Cover and bake for 30 mins until the rice is fully tender.
• Meanwhile, combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and 3 tbsp water, and mix the salad ingredients with the reserved onion. If you're following our Healthy Diet Plan, serve half the rolls with half of the sauce and half of the salad. Cover and chill the rest to eat another day. Will keep in the fridge for two to three days. Reheat in the microwave until hot.

SERBIAN STUFFED CABBAGE (SARMA)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Steam the head of cabbage until the outer leaves are limp, then cool slightly and separate the leaves.
• With a paring knife, remove the tough ribs from the leaves without damaging them. Reserve the tougher outer leaves, but don't use for rolling.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the ground chuck, ground pork, rice, and onion soup mix.
• Adding a small amount of water will make the mixture easier to handle.
• Heap 2 tablespoons of filling onto each steamed, prepared cabbage leaf.
• Fold the bottom of the cabbage leaf up over the meat.
• Fold sides to the center and roll away from yourself to encase completely.
• Repeat until the meat filling is gone.
• Heat oven to 350 F.
• Discard the cabbage core and coarsely chop any remaining cabbage except the tough outer leaves you have reserved.
• Spread the chopped cabbage on the bottom of a large casserole dish or Dutch oven. Add the drained sauerkraut.
• Layer on the cabbage rolls, seam-side down.
• Cut the smoked ribs into pieces. Space the ribs or other smoked meat of choice between the cabbage rolls.
• Cover rolls with reserved tough outer leaves.
• Mix tomato sauce and soup with enough water to make a liquidy consistency.
• Pour over rolls until mixture is level with rolls, but not over the top.
• Cover the casserole dish and bake 1 hour.
• Then reduce temperature to 325 F and bake for 2 more hours.
• Let sit 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
• This dish freezes well.

MIDDLE-EASTERN MEATLESS CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Gently saute spring onions in 1/4 cup olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Place in large bowl add remaining stuffing ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove leaves from cabbage carefully so as not to tear them. Parboil leaves in boiling water until limp enough to handle, cooking leaves in 2 to 3 batches. Drain in colander, rinse with cold water.
• Cut out larger center rib of each leaf, any large leaves in half. Line base of a deep pan with the ribs and any leftover torn leaves.
• Place a generous tablespoon of stuffing on base of each leaf, roll once and tuck in sides to contain filling. Roll to end of leaf. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Crush and mince garlic add salt, mint and lemon juice; mix with olive oil. Pack rolls flap side down in lined pan, sprinkling garlic-lemon mixture between layers of rolls. Invert a plate on top of rolls to keep them intact during cooking. Add enough cold water to just cover rolls, put lid on firmly.
• Bring to boil, reduce to low and simmer 45 minutes. Remove from heat and leave aside 30 minutes. Serve lukewarm or cold.

MIDDLE EASTERN STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Combine all filling ingredients in large bowl, kneading with your hands. Carefully remove 18-20 of the largest outer leaves of the cabbage, and blanch for a few seconds in very hot or boiling water. Rinse & drain & slice off the thick spine of the leaf with a paring knife, without cutting through the leaf. Shred some of the remaining leaves, and line the bottom of a 6 quart Dutch oven with them. Lay the cabbage leaves out flat on a tea towel, and place about an egg-sized portion of filling at the wide end. Roll up and secure by tying around the middle with kitchen twine. Place them in the Dutch oven with the seam side of cabbage down. You should be able to place them in two layers. Combine sauce ingredients and pour over the cabbage rolls. Bring to the boiling point on top of stove, then cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 90 minutes. During the baking time, remove lid to spoon sauce over the top layer a few times. Remove kitchen twine and serve over a bed of egg noodles, rice, or with mashed potatoes.