Braised Stuffed Cabbage—Using Thrive Products

As you know from my previous post that I’ve received some Thrive products to try.  I really enjoyed using them to create new recipes.  This was one of my favorites to share with you.  Many stuffed cabbage recipes required hours of baking/braising because of the stuffed raw meat and rice.  Thanks for Thrive products, this dish was simplified and energy friendly.  I say, it truly was a green recipe (no pun intended).



With a few simple ingredients, dinner was ready in no time.  I really love Thrive’s freeze dried products.  The flavors of each ingredient was really concentrated.  Just wanted to show you how the products looked before I add them into my recipe.

Freeze Dried Shredded Cheddar Cheese and Freeze Dried Instant White Rice

I love onions, but not so much in chopping them.  These freeze dried chopped onions (picture below) came in handy!  I used them in both the sauce and the stuffing for these Braised Stuffed Cabbage.

 

Tomato Powder, Freeze Dried Chopped Onions and Freeze Dried Cooked Ground Beef

Picture below shown the inside of the Braised Stuffed Cabbage.  My family loved this dish.  The tartness from the tomato powder really balanced well with the savory beef and cheese stuffing.  This is such a perfect dish to enjoy in the summer.  Not only it was elegant, it was also easy to make but looked as if you put hours of work into it.




I included pictures of each steps on how to prepare the cabbage leaves and to stuff them. 
1) Remove and discard the tough bottom ribs of each cabbage leave.
2) Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
3) Immediately plunge them into the bowl of iced water, then, remove leaves from water and pat dry.
4) Spoon a generous 1/4 cup of filling into each leaf.

 
5) Fold the bottom part of the leaf to the center.
6) Then fold the outside edges in and roll the leaf around the stuffing
7) Arrange each roll with the seam side down so that the roll will hold itself shut.
8) Add the cabbage rolls to the sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the sauce has reduced to a thick, sauce-like consistency, about15 to 20 minutes.




Sounded easy enough?  It really was.  My kids loved the cheesy, beefy, rice stuffing!  The cabbage leaves were soft and tender and absorbed the lovely tomato sauce.  They both ate 2 stuffed rolls each all by themselves (they are only 2 and 4 years old).  I’ll definitely make these Braised Stuffed Cabbage more often from now on.  How about you?  Would you like to try? 
 

It's still not too late to enter your name for a giveaway, courtesy of Misty from Shelf Reliance.  Please refer back to my previous post here for details.  Good Luck!

If you have any questions regarding Thrive products, Misty will be available to chat with you live at her blog on June, 6th (Monday) between 1:00pm to 1:30pm PST. Please click here to access the chat room.

A Friendly Reminder from Misty: I notice some of you shown interest in purchasing Thrive products.  Please make sure you place the order through Misty's site here (http://yourownhomestore.shelfreliance.com/yourownhomestore) and you'll save 5%-45% off retail price, courtesy of Misty.  Isn't it cool?  If you go straight to http://shelfreliance.com you will end up paying full retail price.  Thank you for the great tip and savings, Misty!


Just linked up this recipe with “Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.”




*Disclaimer: I received the free samples for the purpose of this review and I am not compensated in any way to write this post.  All comments and opinions are 100% my own.





Braised Stuffed Cabbage: 

Makes 12-15 Stuffed Cabbage rolls

For the sauce:

1 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves, smashed
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup Thrive Tomato Powder
1/4 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Chopped Onions
2 cup beef stock
2 bay leaves
1 bundle thyme
1 tablespoon of sugar
Kosher salt

For the stuffing and cabbage:

1 large head savoy cabbage (or green cabbage), tough leaves removed and tough bottom ribs discarded
1/2 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Chopped Onions
3 garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
1 1/2 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Ground Beef
1 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Instant White Rice
1/2 cup Thrive Freeze Dried Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 egg
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
kosher salt
3/4 cup beef stock

To make the sauce:

Puree the carrot and garlic to a coarse paste in a food processor. Coat a large wide pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the pureed veggies and cook until they become very soft and aromatic and are starting to turn brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the white wine and let it reduce by half. Add the tomato powder, onions, beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme bundle sugar and season with salt, to taste. Adjust seasonings to your own preference.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Reserve.

To prep the cabbage:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Set up a bowl of iced water. Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then immediately plunge them into the bowl of iced water. When the leaves are cool, remove them from the water and pat them dry. Reserve.

In a large bowl combine the onions, garlic, ground beef, rice, cheese, egg, rosemary and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt, to taste. Add the beef stock and mix well to combine.

Lay each cabbage leaf on a flat work surface. Spoon a generous 1/4 cup of filling into each leaf. Fold the bottom part of the leaf to the center, then fold the outside edges in and roll the leaf around the stuffing.

Arrange each roll with the seam side down so that the roll will hold itself shut. Add the cabbage rolls to the sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the sauce has reduced to a thick, sauce-like consistency, about15 to 20 minutes. Rotate the cabbage rolls once half way through braising.

Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer the cabbage rolls to a serving platter and lightly cover with the sauce.