Shared by Arik and Dafna Bareket
Shared by Arik and Dafna Bareket
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Yield: 12 servingsTime: 1h plus 1h 15min cooking time
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Yield: 12 servingsTime: 1h plus 1h 15min cooking timeFamily Journey
Vilnius, LithuaniaTel AvivRamat Hasharon, Israel
Tel AvivNew York City
When we connect with Ashkenazi families for the JFS archive, stuffed cabbage recipes come up more than almost any other recipe. Most rely on a tomato base, while some add raisins and sugar for a touch of sweetness. Stuffed cabbage requires patience and a bit of technique, but don't let that intimidate you if it's your first time making it. Softening the leaves by boiling them is key and can easily be done the day before.
This recipe comes from Arik and Dafna Bareket and more specifically, Arik's mother Pnina. Born in Vilnius, when it was part of Poland (it's now the capital of Lithuania), Pnina moved to Mandatory Palestine in 1935. Arik didn't start cooking until he was in his 40s. Determined to learn his mother’s recipes, he sat at her kitchen table as she cooked and dictated the directions to him. A naval architect and engineer by training, his notes and cooking are precise.
Arik has been making Pnina’s recipes for 40 years and still, Dafna says, he looks at his carefully written recipe for this stuffed cabbage every time he makes it.
Read more about Arik and Dafna Bareket's family in "A Stuffed Cabbage Recipe That’s Saved on WhatsApp."
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola, sunflower, or grapeseed
- 4-5 medium onions, chopped
- 1 large green cabbage
- 2 cups white rice
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 small can (6 oz.) tomato paste, divided
- Juice from 1-2 lemons, divided
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 large can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a medium pan and sauté the onions over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and caramelized, about 30-40 minutes.
Step 3
While the onions cook, remove the core from the cabbage. Place it in the pot of water and boil until the leaves soften and start to peel away from the head, about 15-20 minutes (this will depend on the size of your cabbage).
Step 4
Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a small saucepan. Stir the rice into the boiling water. As soon as the water returns to a boil, strain and rinse the rice. Set aside.
Step 5
Remove the cabbage from the pot and let cool slightly until it can be handled. Carefully, peel the leaves off shaving the base of the stem vertically with a paring knife to remove the hard triangular rib. Reserve the trimmings for the pot. You can return the cabbage to the pot of water for a few minutes if you find that the inner leaves become more stubborn to remove when trying to peel. You will need 12-14 leaves.
Step 6
Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, and ¾ of the carmelized onions (Arik says it’s best to mix with your hands). Add the eggs, ½ of the can of tomato paste, the juice from ½ a lemon, sugar, salt and pepper and mix until well combined.
Step 7
To assemble: Take one of the cabbage leaves and, depending on its size, place ½ - ¾ cup of the filling near the rib end of the leaf. Fold the left and right sides in, then fold the base of the leaf up over the filling and roll tightly towards the top outer edge of the leaf to form a rectangular package. Place the wrapped leaf seam-side down on a platter while you prepare the remaining leaves. Continue with the rest of the leaves until all of the filling has been used up.
Step 8
Place the remaining onion, any trimmings from the cabbage stems, the remaining tomato paste, the juice from ½ a lemon, the can of crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil. Layer the stuffed cabbages over the the sauce and top with any remaining loose cabbage leaves. Add water to just cover the contents of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered for 1 hour. Taste and adjust for seasoning as it cooks, adding additional lemon juice, sugar, salt or pepper to taste.
Step 9
Remove the lid and cook until sauce reaches desired thickness, about 15-20 minutes more.
Step 10
Serve immediately with sauce drizzled on top.
