My friends Siegfried and Roy, the famous illusionists, count this dish among their favorites. Stuffed cabbage is a beloved specialty in Germany, Austria, and Hungary, and it was a childhood favorite of mine as well. For the filling, I like equal portions of ground lamb, pork, and chicken, though any blend of meats you prefer will work. Pair it with mashed potatoes or rice to absorb the flavorful sauce.
Info
- Prep time: 45 minutes
- Cook time: 35 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
Stuffed Cabbage Leaves
- 9 slices white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 pounds ground meat of your choice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 large cabbage leaves, preferably Savoy cabbage
Paprika Tomato Sauce
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup prepared tomato sauce or 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 leaves fresh sage or 4 sprigs thyme
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Start with the filling: place the bread cubes in a small bowl, pour in the milk, and let them soak until fully saturated. Using your hands, squeeze out the excess milk. Discard the milk, then put the soaked bread into a large bowl along with the meat, parsley, sage, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and set a large bowl of ice water nearby. Add the cabbage leaves to the boiling water and blanch just until they begin to soften, about 1 minute. Drain and immediately plunge the leaves into the ice water. Once cold, remove them and pat dry.
- Using a small sharp knife, trim the thick part of the stem from each leaf. Place a generous 1/2 cup of filling in the center of each leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, overlapping slightly, then, starting from the stem end, roll the leaf into a tight bundle. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- While the oven heats, make the sauce: heat a large ovenproof saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic and saute until the vegetables are translucent. Add the tomato paste and paprika and saute briefly. Stir in the chicken stock, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and sage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Arrange the stuffed cabbage leaves in a single layer in the saucepan. Bring the sauce back to a boil. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake until the bundles are cooked through and firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes.
- To serve, use a large spoon to transfer the rolls to a platter or individual heated plates. Spoon the sauce over and around them.
