Cabbage Rolls

I've been wanting to try cabbage rolls for ages now. I decided to finally give it a try.

It takes a little time, both in preparation and in cook time, but it's totally worth it! I made a double batch and happily ate them for an entire week.

I know some of you have been waiting for this, and I apologize for the delay...

Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:
1 large green cabbage
1 lbs grass-fed beef
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp parsley
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp red pepper

Hannah's Marinara Sauce:
1 - 28oz cans of diced tomato
2 - 6oz cans of tomato paste
1 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 head of garlic
1/4 cup diced onion
1/8 cup fresh basil
1 tablespoons thyme (dried)
1 tablespoons oregano (dried)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/16 teaspoon nutmeg

Start by preparing Hannah's marinara sauce as follows:

1. Open all the cans
2. Dice the onion, crush and chop the garlic
3. Heat the oil, then sautee the onion and garlic until they just begin to brown and carmelize (about 10 minutes on medium heat)
4. Pour in the diced tomatoes, stir up to incorporate the garlic/onions
5. Put in the tomato paste and dry spices, stir everything up really well
6. Turn down the heat and let the mixture simmer for at least 30 minutes on low, or longer if you have some time.

While the marinara simmers, place cabbage in a large pot, cover with water and boil to soften the leaves, about 15 minutes from boiling point. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While the cabbage is boiling, combine meat, onion, garlic, egg and spices, mixing it with your hands. Don't use a spoon. Always mix with your hands!

Drain water off the cabbage. Turn it out onto a clean towel (to soak up the extra water.) Gently peel leaves off and set aside to cool. You'll need about 8 leaves.

Once you have 8 to 10 cabbage leaves peeled off, it's time to fill them. Fill each leaf with a small chunk (about 3 to 4 ounces) of meat mixture and wrap them up like little burritos. Start rolling with the stem end and tuck in the sides. Continue rolling until it's all wrapped up neatly. They should look something like egg rolls. All the meat should be covered.

Line up your cabbage rolls in a baking pan and top with marinara. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Optional: Remove foil after 1 hour and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake uncovered until cheese is melted. I'm definitely going to do that next time.