Cabbage stuffed cabbage rolls
Description
This simple cabbage roll recipe will surely come in handy more than once—I assure you, they can even be frozen and used as a semi-finished product when needed. You can use any filling—meat, mushroom, or vegetable—depending on your taste preferences. First, remove the outer damaged leaves from the cabbage head. Make deep cuts around the core with a sharp knife (ideally, remove it completely). Place the cabbage head into a pot, cover with salted hot water, and set over low heat. The leaves of young cabbage are very tender, so there's no need to boil them thoroughly—just separate them from the head with a fork and carefully remove them from the pot without tearing. Once all the leaves are separated, let them cool down. Now, fill them with your chosen filling—I recommend trying mushrooms lightly sautéed with onion and carrot, then mixed with rice cooked until half-done. This filling pairs wonderfully with the flavor of young cabbage! Young cabbage leaves are very pliable, so shaping the rolls will be easy. Sear the rolls in a small amount of butter on both sides, then transfer them to a pot. Pour in a mixture of cream and boiling water (just enough to slightly cover the rolls), add salt, a bay leaf, and a few peppercorns. Simmer gently, covered, for about 20 minutes—be careful not to overcook the cabbage! Serve hot with the sauce, sprinkled with finely chopped dill.