Recipe - Low-Carb Cabbage Rolls

If you're diabetic, or just looking for a low carb recipe that's still hearty and filling, try this tasty recipe. I've made a variation of this using ground lamb and couscous, and you can also use Chinese cabbage leaves for a slightly different taste. This recipe is slightly more involved, so if you're looking for something fun and a little different, throw this one into the mix once in a while when you have a bit of extra time.

Meaty Low-Carb Cabbage Rolls
(Makes 18 dinner-size cabbage rolls. Serves about 6-8, or 4 with leftovers.)

A cabbage roll עברית: גליל כרוב ממולא (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Ingredients:
1 big or 2 medium cabbage heads
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 lb. lean ground beef (if you prefer it leaner, try ground venison instead of either the beef or pork)
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup beef stock
Sour cream for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preparations:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Carefully cut the core out of the cabbage and clean away any undesirable leaves, then wash head of cabbage under cold running water.
• Bring a large pot of fresh water and salt to a boil, then lower whole head of cabbage in, cover the pot, turn heat to a simmer, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cabbage head softens enough to be able to pull the leaves off individually. 
• Remove cabbage head and let cool on a rack or colander long enough so you can handle it. This recipe will make 18 dinner-sized cabbage rolls, but depending on the size of the leaves, you may have more or less. Take off as many leaves as you can before the difference in size is too great. Sometimes two cabbage heads works better than one in order to get enough similar-sized leaves off the head.
• After you've removed all the leaves you want, take a small sharp knife and cut a triangle shape along the thick center stem part of each leaf to remove it, making sure you leave the cabbage leaves intact. Set aside.
• Cut up the cabbage that is leftover and throw it into a large baking dish or Dutch oven.

2. Filling & Stuffing:

• To make filling, put the onion and butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until onion is softened; then let cool.
• In the cooled skillet with onions, crumble up the beef and pork and stir in the garlic, salt, and pepper; mix together but don't overwork it so the meat will stay tender when cooked.
• Take about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture (more or less depending on the size of the leaf) and put on a cabbage leaf, roll up, tucking in the ends, until the meat is sealed inside the leaf.
• Put the cabbage roll (seam side down) on top of the chopped cabbage in the baking dish and repeat with all the remaining cabbage leaves, arranging each roll in baking dish. If you don't want to put your cabbage rolls on top of each other, you may have to use two baking dishes if yours isn't large enough.
• Pour the beef stock evenly over the cabbage rolls, season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cover and put in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.

Serving Suggestions:

This can be served as a main dish with the cut-up cabbage served underneath the rolls. You can prepare a sauce by stirring together the juices from the pan with some sour cream, then pouring over the cabbage rolls on each plate.

Or, make the cabbage rolls smaller (using smaller heads of cabbage to get smaller leaves) and serve as a tapa or appetizer on a buffet. Serve with a variety of dipping sauces.

For a party, you can make a batch or two and freeze them.  Just reheat in a low oven and serve.