Sunday, July 4, 2010

Gluten Free Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Turkey and Rice)


I can't say that cabbage rolls are a favorite dish of mine or Shawn's.  We have been experimenting with foods that we wouldn't normally eat, but that are good for us.  

We both like cabbage, but rarely if ever buy it.  Tonight I thought some cabbage rolls would not only remind me of eating at Grandma's house, but, it would be fun to try to make them.  

Both of these assumptions proved to be true.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey
1 head of cabbage
3 medium vidalia onions
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 cup rice (use your favorite, I used white instant, it was what I had on hand)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water
1 can tomato sauce (29 ounce)
2 egg yolks

Start by removing the outer layers of leaves from your head of cabbage and then removing the core.



Boil the entire head of cabbage in a stock pot.  The water doesn't need to be a rolling boil, a simmer is fine too.  One by one the outer leaves will become flexible and slowly loosen themselves from the head of cabbage.  As this happens, use tongs to remove them and place them into a separate bowl for later.



When removing the leaves, there is a thick ridge that runs from the base of the leaf and is not very flexible.  Use a sharp knife and trim  or shave off this ridge to make the leaf more uniform in thickness and easier to roll up.



In a mixing bowl, thouroughly mix together the turkey, minced garlic, spices, egg yolks, rice, and one of the onions diced.



Place a cabbage leaf on the cutting board in front of you with the base (ridge side you shaved off towards you).  Add approximately the pictured amount of meat/rice mixture.  I would give a measurement, but each of my cabbage leaves are different sizes and I adjusted the meat accordingly.  I am sure you will too.


Fold the side facing you, forward over the meat mixture. Fold the left and right sides in towards center, then roll forward.  Tah, Dah!  Cabbage roll!



I covered the bottom of my dutch oven with the other 2 vidalia onions sliced and a few cabbage leaves and the olive ooil.  Then as I rolled the cabbage rolls, I placed them in the pan as the next layer.



I covered the top with cabbage leaves and filled the pan with the tomato sauce and the water.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours.  Check the water level about half way through. (add more if needed)

Cool a bit and serve..

1 comment:

  1. I have just made a batch of these, but with minced beef. I have guests coming tomorrow and will bake them tomorrow. I am looking forward to eating these, can't wait. I will post another comment later, when I can.

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