Holiday Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
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please consult the ou's guidelines for checking fruits and vegetables > A traditional food for Simchat Torah, stuffed cabbage provides a hearty and sustaining meal full of nutrients such as vitamin C, cancer-fighting phytochemicals, potassium, and fiber. This dish is a tradition handed down from generation to generation, some saying it is eaten now because the shape resembles a Torah scroll while others argue that the dish developed out of practicality as cabbage was readily available in Europe this time of year. Either way it is a holiday favorite that adds servings of vegetables and flavor to your menu.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef, chicken, or mixture
- 1 medium cabbage
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
- ½ cup cooked brown rice
- 2 cans condensed tomato soup
- 1 can tomatoes
- 1½ cups sauerkraut, drained
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 cups water
- 1 clove minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Detach outer, loose cabbage leaves and discard. Core and split head in half. Peel three layers, carefully check these under a strong light on both sides. If leaves are clean and rest of cabbage is tightly packed together, wash cabbage well with soap and water.
- Place cabbage in boiling water and boil until partly cooked. Separate leaves and trim stems. Reserve about 24 to 32 whole leaves. Cut remaining leaves and line the bottom of large roasting pan.
- Mix together meat, onion, cooked rice, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, and 1/2 can of tomato soup.
- Lightly pack a small handful of the meat mixture and place in the center of a cabbage leaf. Fold the top part of one leaf over mixture, then fold in the sides and roll until encased. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat mixture.
- Lay rolls on top of torn cabbage leaves in pan. Place sauerkraut and sprinkle sugar on top. Mix canned tomatoes and remaining tomato soup with water and pour over rolls. Add additional water if needed to reach top of cabbage rolls.
- Bake at 350°F for 1-1/2 hours or until cooked through.
Kashrut Instructions
CABBAGE:
INFESTATION: Cabbage may be infested with black/gray thrips and, less often, cabbageworm. Though cabbage infestation is seasonal, being more prevalent during the summer months, our research has indicated that outbreaks of infestation do occur in the winter months as well. We, therefore, recommend that cabbage be inspected throughout the year. Fortunately, it has been determined that infestation is predominantly limited to the first three layers of leaves, i.e. the outermost six leaves on the head (two per layer). If these six leaves are found to be clean, the rest of the head may be used. (Although insects have been found deeper than the third layer, this is uncommon.) The above holds true for Grade A cabbage only. Inferior grades of cabbage are much more prone to infestation, and their use is not recommended. The cabbageworm is a small (approximately 1/8” long) white or sometimes green worm that burrows its way into the cabbage head. Holes in the outer leaves of the head are signs of the presence of these worms. When exposed, these worms will at times stand up vertically off the surface of the leaf. INSPECTION: Please note: When examining sacks or cases of cabbage (typically containing 12-16 heads of cabbage taken from the same field), if three heads are found to be completely clean, the rest of the cabbage in that sack or case may be used without any inspection once the wrapper leaves have been discarded. Cabbage taken from larger cases or bins must be individually checked. Several methods have been developed for the inspection of cabbage:- Detach the loose leaves (“wrapper leaves”) and discard.
- Core the cabbage and split the head in half, allowing the leaves to be peeled away more easily.
- Peel the three outermost layers (approximately six leaves, not including wrapper leaves) off the head.
- Carefully check these six leaves. The most practical way to check is to hold the leaf above direct light. Because the leaf is translucent and the bugs are not, the bugs are accentuated and easily detected. Check both sides of each leaf.
- If only one or two insects are found on these six leaves, then they and the remaining leaves of the head may be used without further checking. It is recommended that the remaining leaves be washed before use.
- If three or more insects are found on the first six leaves, the remaining leaves must be thoroughly washed and checked prior to use. The second method described above (3-4) is impractical when cabbage quarters must remain tightly packed so that they may be shredded easily. It should be noted that the outer leaves of the quarter sections must be removed, checked and put back to facilitate shredding.