Recipe: Red Cabbage Rolls with Turkey and Dried Cranberries (using ground turkey)

RED CABBAGE ROLLS WITH
TURKEY AND DRIED CRANBERRIES

1 red cabbage, approximately 3 pounds
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (use a mixture of white and dark-meat ground turkey to keep rolls from becoming too dry)
2 cups cooked long grain and wild rice
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/3 cups dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 cup cranberry sauce
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place cabbage in a large pot of boiling water. Gently remove leaves as they become tender, making sure that there are ten good-size leaves. Cook remaining cabbage until tender, drain, chop, and reserve. (See variation below.)

In a large bowl, combine turkey, rice, onion, garlic, cranberries, thyme, salt, and pepper.

In a medium pot, combine cranberry sauce, apple juice, chicken stock, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and whisk until smooth; reserve.

On a clean work surface, place cabbage leaf down. Trim the core. Place 1/2 cup mixture on top of each leaf. (See Stuffing a Cabbage Leaf*) Fold sides in toward center and roll tightly. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves and filling.

Place rolls in a large oven-safe heavy casserole or saute pan. Top with reserved chopped cabbage and sauce. Bring to a boil on top of the stove, cover, and place in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes or until tender.

A variation on boiling the cabbage in step two:
Freeze the cabbage overnight or up to two days. Let thaw overnight. The next day the cabbage will be very limp and easy to work with. This works best for a regular green cabbage or a red cabbage. It is not recommended for Savoy cabbage because the leaves are thin and too delicate for freezing.

*HOW TO STUFF A CABBAGE LEAF:

1. Put about half a cup of filling near the base of the leaf.




2. Fold the sides in toward the center



3. Roll up tightly



4. Just before serving, tie cabbage with a strip of leek that has been blanched and cooled.



Makes 10 cabbage rolls
Source: Jewish Holiday Style by Rita Milos Brownstein