MOROCCAN-STYLE CABBAGE ROLLS WITH LAMB

By Ana Larramendi

Gluten-Free* Serves 4
 
Here is an amazing stuffed cabbage roll recipe flavored with the aromatic spices of Moroccan cuisine. This dish reheats very well. If you are not fond of lamb, you can substitute ground beef or ground turkey.
 
Ingredients:
Filling:
2 TB Olive oil
1 C. onion, diced small
4 large cloves garlic minced
*(or 2 garlic scapes finely chopped)
1 teas. Black pepper
2 teas. Ground cumin
1 teas. Cinnamon
1 teas. Oregano
1 teas. Ground coriander seed
½ teas. Ground dry ginger
1 teas. Paprika
1 C. Basmati or Jasmine rice (uncooked)
2 teas. Salt
1 lb. ground lamb
¼ C. chopped parsley
1 C. finely chopped leaves of kale
¼. C. Sliced almonds or pine nuts
¼ C. dried currants or golden raisins
 
1 large head cabbage (or 2 smaller ones)
You want 15-18 cabbage leaves to stuff
 
Sauce:
1 TB. Olive oil
½ C. diced onion
½ teas. Cumin
½ teas. cinnamon
½ teas. black pepper
2 Bay leaves
14oz can diced tomatoes
4 C. Chicken broth (1 qt.)
 
Garnish *optional
Crumbled feta
Chopped parsley
 
Instructions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium heat; add the garlic and sauté about 1 minute then add the diced onion cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in all the spices and salt cook for about 1 minute more, it will become very fragrant. Stir in the rice and stir till coated with the spices. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

  2. Combine lamb, prepared rice, parsley, almonds, and currants in a large bowl. Mix until combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

  3. Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Remove the core from the cabbage head and place the head in the boiling water. Cover and simmer until leaves begin to fall away, about 5 minutes. Remove the 2 outer layers of leaves to a paper towel-lined plate, cover and continue cooking for 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove the remaining large leaves to the plate.

  4. In a 2 quart saucepan, heat the 1 TB. of olive oil, add the diced onion and sauté about 3 minutes. Add the spices, sauté 1 minute longer, then add the tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  6. Take 1 cabbage leaf and remove the root end. Place about 1/2 cup of the lamb mixture toward the bottom edge of the cabbage leaf and roll into a log. Continue stuffing cabbage leaves till you have used all the lamb filling.

  7. In a deep rectangular baking dish (9 X 12) pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom. Lay the cabbage rolls in the baking dish, seam side down over the sauce, fitting them snugly together. Once the pan is filled with the stuffed cabbage rolls, pour the remaining tomato sauce over the entire dish. Cover with foil.  If you have a Dutch oven with its own lid, you can layer the cabbage rolls on top of each other, cover with sauce and bake with lid.

  8. Bake in the preheated oven until the lamb is tender and the rice is cooked, 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Serve with pan juices poured over the top and garnished with feta cheese and parsley.

 
Notes:
Blanched, young grape leaves can be substituted for the cabbage. Making more, smaller, appetizer-size rolls. Also, if you are avoiding rice you can substitute 1 C. of Quinoa for the rice.

Cabbage, Kale/CollardsBethanee WrightComment