1 Head cabbage (XL & large)
Turkish Tomato Sauce
1 Onion, diced
4 Garlic, rough chopped
14 Crushed tomatoes (1 can)
1 tsp Sugar or alternative sweetener (maple, honey)
0.50 tsp Cumin
0.50 tsp Cinnamon
0.50 tsp Allspice
0.50 tsp Salt
1 cup Broth or stock, chicken or veggie
Lamb filling
0.50 cup Turkish tomato sauce
2 garlic, finely minced
1 lb Ground American lamb
1 cup Bulgur wheat, soaked or add 1 cup of raw cauliflower rice or other cooked rice/grain
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Dried mint (or subbed dried oregano or thyme)
1 tsp Coriender
1 tsp Sumac (optional)
0.50 tsp Chili flakes (aleppo)
0.50 tsp Cinnamon
0.50 cup Pine nuts or slivered almonds
0.25 cup Dried apricots, chopped (or sub dried barberries, currants or raisins) - optional
Garnish
Fresh Italian parley
Dill or mint
Few toasted pine nuts
Yogurt (optional)
1Soak Bulgar Wheat in bowl of cool water, 20 mins.
2Blanch Cabbage: Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cabbage and blanch until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Cool. Alternatively you can peel off the cabbage leaves and blanch the leaves in batches for 1-2 minutes. You can also microwave the whole cabbage, covered tightly , in a bowl with 1 cup water for 10 minutes. You can also freeze the whole cabbage, then thaw.
4Make the Turkish Tomato Sauce: In a large sauté pan, over med-high heat, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons oil until tender, 3-4 mins. Lower heat to medium, add garlic, sauté 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes (and all the juices) sugar, spices, salt and broth . Stir, bring to a simmer for 2 minutes, then turn heat off. Place 1/2 cup of this sauce in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish (just enough to lightly coat the bottom.)
5Make the filling: In a medium bowl, place the lamb, drained bulgur wheat, garlic, Turkish tomato sauce, salt, spices, pine nuts, and dried apricots in a medium bowl and mix with a clean, damp hand, until well combined.
6Assemble the Cabbage Rolls: Place a blanched cabbage leaf on the counter. Cut 2 inches of the thick vein out of the bottom end. ( See photo). Fill with 1/3 cup lamb filling and roll up like a burrito, tucking edges in and place seam side down in the sauced, baking dish. Repeat with all. You should have 10-12 ish. See notes, for breakage.
7BAKE: Once the baking dish is filled with the rolls, pour the remaining Tomato sauce over top. Give the pan a good shake. Cover with parchment, then tightly with foil (or a lid). Bake for 1 1/4 hours. If baking in a sauté pan, you could heat this up gently on the stove top (covered) before placing in the oven and then bake for 1 hour.
8Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, mint or dill, and a few pine nuts. Serve with a thick creamy yogurt if you like.
Feel free to make in stages. (Make the sauce ahead, the filling ahead or blanch the cabbage ahead). You can make them from start to finish, bake, refrigerate and reheat (covered). I have not tried freezing.
If the cabbage leaves fall apart, split, get holes, or are too small, you can layer them, or lay two side by side and roll into one roll. This is typical once you get to the inner smaller leaves.
For a LOW-Carb Version: leave out the bulgar wheat and replace with raw “cauliflower rice” or the remaining cabbage (shredded finely). Leave out the dried apricots and the sweetener.
Ingredients
1 Head cabbage (XL & large)
Turkish Tomato Sauce
1 Onion, diced
4 Garlic, rough chopped
14 Crushed tomatoes (1 can)
1 tsp Sugar or alternative sweetener (maple, honey)
0.50 tsp Cumin
0.50 tsp Cinnamon
0.50 tsp Allspice
0.50 tsp Salt
1 cup Broth or stock, chicken or veggie
Lamb filling
0.50 cup Turkish tomato sauce
2 garlic, finely minced
1 lb Ground American lamb
1 cup Bulgur wheat, soaked or add 1 cup of raw cauliflower rice or other cooked rice/grain
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Dried mint (or subbed dried oregano or thyme)
1 tsp Coriender
1 tsp Sumac (optional)
0.50 tsp Chili flakes (aleppo)
0.50 tsp Cinnamon
0.50 cup Pine nuts or slivered almonds
0.25 cup Dried apricots, chopped (or sub dried barberries, currants or raisins) - optional
Garnish
Fresh Italian parley
Dill or mint
Few toasted pine nuts
Yogurt (optional)
Directions
1Soak Bulgar Wheat in bowl of cool water, 20 mins.
2Blanch Cabbage: Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cabbage and blanch until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Cool. Alternatively you can peel off the cabbage leaves and blanch the leaves in batches for 1-2 minutes. You can also microwave the whole cabbage, covered tightly , in a bowl with 1 cup water for 10 minutes. You can also freeze the whole cabbage, then thaw.
4Make the Turkish Tomato Sauce: In a large sauté pan, over med-high heat, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons oil until tender, 3-4 mins. Lower heat to medium, add garlic, sauté 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes (and all the juices) sugar, spices, salt and broth . Stir, bring to a simmer for 2 minutes, then turn heat off. Place 1/2 cup of this sauce in the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish (just enough to lightly coat the bottom.)
5Make the filling: In a medium bowl, place the lamb, drained bulgur wheat, garlic, Turkish tomato sauce, salt, spices, pine nuts, and dried apricots in a medium bowl and mix with a clean, damp hand, until well combined.
6Assemble the Cabbage Rolls: Place a blanched cabbage leaf on the counter. Cut 2 inches of the thick vein out of the bottom end. ( See photo). Fill with 1/3 cup lamb filling and roll up like a burrito, tucking edges in and place seam side down in the sauced, baking dish. Repeat with all. You should have 10-12 ish. See notes, for breakage.
7BAKE: Once the baking dish is filled with the rolls, pour the remaining Tomato sauce over top. Give the pan a good shake. Cover with parchment, then tightly with foil (or a lid). Bake for 1 1/4 hours. If baking in a sauté pan, you could heat this up gently on the stove top (covered) before placing in the oven and then bake for 1 hour.
8Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, mint or dill, and a few pine nuts. Serve with a thick creamy yogurt if you like.
