German Kohlrouladen (cabbage parcels)

[Susi]

hi, and here we go again - another request! Glad to do it.

Kohlrouladen

1 Kohlroulade per person ( it is left up to you how many you make)

This is for 4 Kohlrouladen

1 cabbage (only use the bigger leaves, could be that you need another cabbage)
18 oz (500g) minced beef
1 large raw onion (grated) or according to taste (I love onions)
1 egg
4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
if the mixture is too firm then add some water

1. remove the bigger cabbage leaves carefully, and blanch them for 2 -3 mins until slightly soft ( this is so that you can wrap them around the minced beef). Remove the leaves from the water and leave to cool on the kitchen surface (need to be flat when cooling)

2. put minced beef in a bowl, add the egg, the grated onions, the breadcrumbs and salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingedients together well.

3. Separate the mince into 4 parts or if you want small cabbage parcels them separate into 6 parts.

4. Make each bit of mince into a large sausage shape.

5. Take 2 or 3 leaves (must be overlapping), place the mince on the leaves, fold edges over the mince, each side half way. Then start rolling the mince in the cabbage (now you can see why the leaves have to be blanched)

6. Once completely rolled, fasten with string. Bring a pan of water to boil and place the Rouladen in the boiling water.

7. Turn down heat and leave to simmer (I hope) for 15 mins. It will be up to you to check on the Rouladen if they are done. Just take one out and slightly open one with a
knife deep enough to see if the mince is done.

8. Remove the string before serving

I serve them with a home made tomatoe sauce. Serve with rice. As I said its my own receipe and I do all my cooking by eye.


Enjoy your meal

Susi

 

[Claire]

I love it. I know so many variations on cabbage rolls I think I could write a cookbook on that alone! My MIL (a Slovakian) had a method hint (use the recipe of your choice!). She would get her big stew pot, fill with water and boil. Then she'd take her big butcher knife and stab around the core enough times so that it was just a little loose. Then the whole head went into the boiling water. Her big fork (part of her carving set) came into play. She'd spear the head of cabbage through the core. Every few minutes, she'd peel off a leaf of cabbage that was "just so", and place on a bed of towels until it cooled enough to handle. The rest of the head, skewered by the fork, went back into the pot so the next layer of leaves could soften. As the leaves removed cooled, she "shaved" (my word) the spine of the leaf to make it more pliable and easier to wrap around the filling. From there proceed with your favorite recipe (mine has elements of Slovene, Slovak, Polish, Russian ... Oh, dear, all my friends and family!!)