Recipe: Turkey Stuffed Cabbage

Turkey-Stuffed Cabbage
Source: Boston Globe
Servings: 8

For the cabbage and stuffing:
1 large cabbage
1 pound raw ground dark turkey meat
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups cooked white rice
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon each ground pepper, allspice, cinnamon and thyme
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt, to taste

For the sauce:
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup peach preserves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Set the oven at 300 degrees. Have on hand a baking dish about the size of a glass lasagna pan.

For the cabbage:
Core the cabbage deep enough for the leaves to separate. Set the head in a very large bowl filled with boiling water. As the water cools, it will loosen the leaves. Drain well and peel the outer leaves until the leaves become difficult to remove from the cabbage. Repeat the soaking technique until you have eight leaves.

For the stuffing:
In a bowl mix together the ground turkey, onion, rice, raisins, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, thyme, garlic and salt. Divide this stuffing into eight equal portions. Lay the eight cabbage leaves on the counter smooth side up. Put one portion of the stuffing near the core end of each leaf. Roll up, folding the ends in, and set the cabbage in the baking dish.

For the sauce:
In a saucepan heat together the tomato sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, brown sugar, water, apricot and peach preserves, ginger and cinnamon. Stir for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the cabbage and cover the dish with foil.

Bake for 3 hours, turning the rolls several times during baking so they glaze on all sides. Serve with boiled potatoes sprinkled with parsley.