Braised Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage
• 1 cup rice
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 28 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed well by hand or pureed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino, plus more to sprinkle on top
• 4 tablespoons EVOO
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Boil or steam the rice. (I add 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice and bring it to a light boil, cover and cook for about 15 minutes over low-medium heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy.)
3. Bring water to a boil in a pot large enough to hold the cabbage.
4. Remove any bruised outer cabbage leaves.
5. Core the cabbage.
6. Place the cabbage in the boiling water.
7. As it blanches cabbage leaves will loosen from the head. Pull them off gently with tongs and set on a plate to cool. Be careful not to rip the leaves. You want them to be intact to hold the filling.
8. You should end up with about 15 whole cabbage leaves.
9. When the leaves are cool enough to handle shave off the thick stem at the bottom of the back side of each leaf to even the thickness of the leaf and make them easier to roll.
10. Set the leaves aside as you make the filling.
11. Roughly chop what remains of the head of cabbage and set aside.
12. Put 2 tablespoons EVOO in a sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat.
13. When the oil ripples add the chopped onions, lower the heat to medium-low and saute the onions until translucent.
14. Add half the garlic and sauté with the onions until the garlic just begins to take on color.
15. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef.
16. As you begin to brown the ground beef break up any clumps so that the beef browns evenly.
17. Add the salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of oregano to the sauté pan and mix well.
18. When the ground beef is golden brown stir in the remaining chopped cabbage and mix well.
19. Put the browned ground beef in a large bowl. Add the rice and pecorino, mix well. Taste for salt and pepper and set aside.
20. Choose the best and biggest cabbage leaves. You should have 12 to 15 leaves.
21. Set out the cabbage leaf with the shaved stem end down and add about about a 1/4 cup of the rice and beef filling in the center of the leaf and close to one end. You want a plump cabbage roll so do not skimp with the filling.
22. Tightly roll the cabbage leaf and tuck in the sides as you roll to form a compact, firm cabbage roll.
23. Continue to stuff all the leaves until all the stuffing is used up.
24. In a large bowl crush the San Marzano tomatoes and remove any pieces of skin or stem.
25. Add the remaining garlic, 1 tablespoon of oregano and 2 tablespoons EVOO and salt to taste to the tomatoes and mix well.
26. Line the bottom of a baking dish with tomato sauce.
27. Nestle in the cabbage rolls in a single layer.
28. Pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls.
29. Top the rolls with a drizzle of EVOO and a sprinkle of grated pecorino.
30. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. The sauce should thicken and the pecorino on top of the cabbage rolls will be lightly browned.
31. Remove the rolls to a serving platter. Bath the rolls with the tomato sauce. (Serve extra sauce at the table.)
32. Sprinkle with EVOO and a good sprinkle of grated pecorino.
33. Serve immediately.
34. Serves 6.