This is my spin on the traditional cabbage roll. I suppose it’s more Mediterranean since I added lamb, but this is generally a standard recipe. Now with pix! These are low carb and low calorie with high flavor! Updated Feb 2017.
Lamb and Beef Cabbage Rolls
WRAP:
10-12 leaves of savoy (or regular) cabbage, blanched
FILLING:
1 lb ground beef, 90/10
1 lb ground lamb
olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallot, small dice
1/2 red onion, small dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dry thyme (or fresh if you’ve got it, minced)
1 Tbl fresh parsley, minced
1 Tbl fresh mint, minced (optional, I like it with lamb)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp each salt & pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbl Sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2 eggs
SAUCE:
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes, drained (I like fire roasted)
1 Tbl Sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbl parsley, minced
1 Tbl white or brown sugar
1/4 cup beef or chicken stock
Preheat oven to 350F. Put a 4qt pot of water on to boil with 2 tsp salt.
Put some olive oil in a skillet and sweat the shallot, onion and garlic over med low until translucent, about 5 mins. Set aside in a bowl. In the same pan, put tomato sauce and tomatoes with sherry vinegar, paprika, pepper, red pepper flakes, sugar and 2 Tbl of reserved shallot and garlic over low heat for about 10 minutes then hold.
Pull off 10-12 leaves of cabbage and remove the thick part of the stem (savoy has thinner stems than plain cabbage, so if you’re using savoy, the thick parts are only on the biggest leaves). When water boils, turn to simmer and toss in the leaves for about 1-2 minutes, until they become very green and translucent. Pour into colander and rinse with cold water. Hold.
Mix together meats, herbs, spices, vinegar and egg. Add cooled aromatics. Mix until combined, but don’t overmix or the meat will be dense.
Spray 9×12 baking dish with nonstick spray. Put about 1/2 of the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Add stock to remaining sauce in skillet.
Roll each cabbage leaf with about 1/4 cup meat mixture (more if the leaf is large). Start at the stem end and roll like a burrito, folding sides in. Place in baking dish, seam side down. Don’t overfill these or they’ll pop – aim for about 1/3 of the leaf covered in meat. You should have enough filling for 10-12 rolls.
Pour remaining sauce over rolls. Cover tightly with foil and bake for an hour at 350F.
I served this with roasted baby potatoes. Cut potatoes to bite size, toss in olive oil, season with steak seasoning, roast at 425F for about 15 minutes. The potatoes are about 120 cals per cup with 3gr fat and 15gr carbs. Approximately.
According to Livestrong, the nutrition for 1 roll + sauce is:
Cals: 174
Fat: 9gr
Carbs: 9gr