Cabbage Rolls / Kohlrouladen

It is cold and rainy outside, Bavaria is covered in snow and there is not much to do other than cooking and enjoying the warmth inside.

For this I have the perfect recipe for you: Stuffed cabbage so called Kohlrouladen – for the meat eaters – yes the cabbage is filled with meat, so no worries you’ll get your share.

Kohlrouladen are perfect to put in the freezer, if you haven’t eaten all up so don’t worry about possibly preparing too many of those stuffed cabbage rolls.

What you need to feed 4-6 people (8 cabbage rolls):

• 600g / 21oz minced meat
• 80g /3oz rice
• 1 white cabbage
• 1 bread roll
• 125ml / ½ cup of milk
• salt & pepper
• 2 eggs
• 3 onions
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tomatoes
• 400ml / 1.7 cups vegetable stock
• (caraway if you like)

As side either potatoes – the classic way; or rice or mashed potatoes and about 1.5hours of your time.

1. First boil the rice in salt water. In the meantime cut the bread roll in small pieces and pour the milk over it, to soak it. At the end of the rice’s boiling time take it out of the water and pour cold water over it to cool, let drip off the remaining water.
2. Here comes the fun part – also for kids: Munch the minced meat with the rice and the two eggs to one homogeneous mass. Add salt and pepper and place it in the fridge.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 170° / 340°F
4. Now to the cabbage: Boil a large pot of salt water and place the cabbage in there after goring the stem.This is only to be able to hold it easier with a big (meat) fork. Now put the cabbage in the boiling water for 1-2 minutes and then peel off 1-2 greens. Take the greens out of the pot with a skimming ladle and place them in cold water to cool down. Repeat this as long as you need to get 16 collard greens.
5. No, don’t throw away the remaining cabbage just yet: Take 200g / 7oz of it and cut into small squares.
6. Cut the three onions and fry both cabbage and onions in oil in a frying pan. Add salt and let it cool down. They are going to be mixed with the minced meat in a bit.
7. Back to the cabbage greens: Dry them with a towel and place two of the greens overlapping together so they can be filled with the minced meat mass. Make 8 of such cabbage roll bases. If the stems of the greens are too stiff in the middle, use a rolling pin or your bare hands to flatten them.

   

8. Add the cabbage / onion mix to the minced meat and divide the whole mixture into 8 portions. Now fill the greens with the mass until you have 8 wonderful equally sized Kohlrouladen. Make sure the sides are closed as well so as to avoid the mass leaving the greens.
9. Melt the butter in a casserole and put the Kohlrouladen in there with the interface  of the greens facing downwards. Then roast them all around. Cut the tomatoes and mix them in a blender with the vegetable stock. Boil this sauce in a different pot, add salt, pepper and if you like some caraway and then pour over the Kohlrouladen before placing the casserole in the middle of the hot oven.
10. Now let the cabbage rolls sit for about half an hour. This gives you enough time to prepare whatever side dish you would like to have, if you want any at all….

     

    Enjoy your meal!