Stuffed Cabbage

I inherited some cabbage awhile back and not having used it before, I decided to follow some Russian influences and make some stuffed cabbage.  The key for this dish is to boil the cabbage first so the leaves are malleable as you go to stuff them.  Then what you stuff them with is entirely up to you.  I used chicken, rice, and veggies for mine.

So first up, cut the cabbage in half and add the halves to boiling water.  You will lose the integrity of some of the leaves for wrapping, so some wraps may involve 2 leaves instead of 1.  But do be sure you split the cabbage in half lengthwise (so the stalk gets cut in half, otherwise every leaf will be cut in half.

Meanwhile, prepare your filling.  I cooked brown rice according to package instructions, and sauteed some red onions, mushrooms, and garlic in a little olive oil.

Once softened I removed the veggies to the sauce pan containing the rice and sauteed my chicken which I had chopped into 1/2 inch cubes.

Once the chicken was fully cooked, I transferred it too to the rice and veggies and made sure everything was nicely mixed.  I also added diced fresh tomatoes, chopped scallions, salt, and pepper.  

By this point, the cabbage was fully boiled (at least 20 minutes, but longer depending on how cooked you like your cabbage).  Carefully remove the hot cabbage from the water and when cool enough to handle, separate the leaves into individual "bowls" for stuffing.  To each leaf I added a spoonful of my stuffing and topped with freshly grated cheese.

At this point, roll them like a burrito and the next step is at your discretion.  I placed them seam-side down back into the skillet to char a little bit, but also heat through.  You could also put them in a baking dish and put them in the oven for 10-20 minutes.  I added a little broth to get a little steaming action going on, but if you have a sauce prepared, such as a tomato sauce, creamy bechamel, or something else you prefer, you can cook the wraps in the sauce.

To serve, I plated my wraps and added a dollop of sour cream (which is often served with stuffed cabbage at Russian restaurants, only it is a slightly different consistency than the sour cream available in US supermarkets).