Cabbage Rolls

Ann has mentioned a few times this winter that she wanted me to make stuffed cabbage rolls, something that I thought I had put behind me several decades ago. In the 1960s, they were something of a staple, a least in my mother's kitchen where she made them in the Central European style stuffed with ground beef and rice and sauced with tomato sauce. I tolerated them, but I did not love them. Hence, I have never ventured to make them, until just now at Ann's request.

Stuffed cabbage rolls are a staple of many cuisines, primarily in Central and Eastern Europe, but there are versions in China, the Levant, and North Africa. Each version has a different filling and a different sauce. For my part, I used my usual meatball mix (ground turkey with herbs and oats to lighten the forcemeat), and I sauced them in a quick marinara. I am not fond of the sweet tomato sauces from Central Europe.

Cabbage Rolls Ready for Sauce

The Finished Cabbage Rolls

After we ate them, we concluded that we did not love the results and the filling is better made into meatballs. With apologies to our Polish friends and family, I doubt that I will ever stuff cabbage again. Ann's itch has been scratched and I never had the itch.