Stuffed Cabbage (or Escarole) Rolls

Ingredients

• 12 outer leaves of green or purple cabbage or escarole,
• steamed or boiled until softened
• 1 ounce dried mushrooms, such as porcini or other type
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• ½ cup pine nuts
• 1 egg lightly beaten (or egg substitute of your choice)
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped (substitute parsley)
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ½ cups basic marinara sauce

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Steam or boil the cabbage leaves until softened (they should still have some crisp to them).

Pour 1 cup boiling water over the dried mushrooms and let them sit for 15 minutes, or according to package directions.

Warm oil in frying pan and add diced onion. Saute 5 minutes or until onion has softened a bit. Add garlic and chopped fresh mushrooms, and sauté another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Drain the dried mushrooms and reserve the water. Chop as finely as possible.

Combine the chopped dried mushrooms, the cooked onion mixture, the brown rice, nuts, egg and spices. Add salt and pepper. Mix the stuffing well.

Open up the cabbage leaves, one at a time. Stuff with 1/12 of the mixture, starting at the stem end and rolling it like a butcher’s wrap package. Roll firmly and place, seam side down, in a shallow casserole.

Top with the marinara sauce, and bake uncovered for one hour or more, until rolls have absorbed most of the sauce.

Submitted by Lorraine Glazar, Tucson CSA