Not Your Grandmother’s Stuffed Cabbage

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 1 large head of savoy cabbage
  • 14 oz turkey sausage
  • 5 oz hearty bread
  • 1 cup of whole milk
  • 1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes

Instructions:

Bring a large, cast iron pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, carefully undress the cabbage without ripping the leaves. You will need about a dozen of large, whole leaves. When the water is boiling and you have your leaves, submerge them (2 or 3 at a time) for 60 seconds or until they soften. Let cool and pat dry. Meanwhile, soak the bread with milk and mash with fork to form a paste. Mix the sausage (sans casings), rosemary, salt and pepper. When the cabbage leaves are cooled, place 1/4 cup of the meat filling into each leaf and wrap tightly. If needed, place a wooden canapé skewer to keep them from unraveling. When finished packing up the cabbage rolls, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a cast iron pot (I use the same one) and add the minced garlic for 20 seconds. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and bring to simmer. Carefully nestle the rolls, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Turn the rolls over (removing the skewers) and simmer for another 25. If the tomato sauce is too thin, cook another 10 minutes, uncovered to reduce. Enjoy.