Barley-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Pine Nuts and Currants
from www.myrecipes.com


Finally, a stuffed cabbage recipe I can relate to!! I love stuffed cabbage but they're always with meat.....I'm tired of meat stuffing. I might even try it with Quinoa!! I can't wait to try this one! And with the left-over cabbage......I'll make Minestrone! Yumma....2 yumma comfort dishes!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

This dish works well assembled the night before, so a little planning gives you a great head start on the next day's dinner. Trimming away part of the thick center vein from the cabbage leaves makes them more pliable and easier to roll up. You could also try adding one cup thawed frozen meatless crumbles in place of or in addition to the feta cheese. You can also cook the rolls on LOW for six to eight hours.


Ingredients

* 1 large head green cabbage, cored
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
* 3 cups cooked pearl barley
* 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
* 1/2 cup dried currants
* 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
* 1/2 cup apple juice
* 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained

Preparation

Steam cabbage head 8 minutes; cool slightly. Remove 16 leaves from cabbage head; discard remaining cabbage. Cut off raised portion of the center vein of each cabbage leaf (do not cut out vein); set trimmed cabbage leaves aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook 6 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in barley and next 4 ingredients (through parsley). Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Place cabbage leaves on a flat surface; spoon about 1/3 cup barley mixture into center of each cabbage leaf. Fold in edges of leaves over barley mixture; roll up. Arrange cabbage rolls in bottom of a 5-quart electric slow cooker.

Combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, apple juice, vinegar, and tomatoes; pour evenly over cabbage rolls. Cover and cook on high 2 hours or until thoroughly cooked!


<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Contessa

Now THAT is a recipe that's right up my alley! Will definitely be making it next week. Thanks Contessa!

I'm making this now. I had thought I'd have a lot of cabbage left over to make some soup, but I'm thinking I'm going to use most of it for this recipe! Sixteen cabbage leaves is a lot!!

Well, I spoke too soon...I had around 1 1/2 cups of cabbage left for my soup. Added to all the other veggies I had it will be delish! I'll let you know how the cabbage rolls turn out..those are for dinner tonight.

Well, these were absolutely delicious! They are definitely not your typically easy slow-cooker meal. By the time you cook the ingredients separately, make the filling, steam and disassemble the cabbage, and then assemble and cook the cabbage rolls, you have quite a bit of hands-on time in the dish. But, the end result is worth it! I guess I should have taken a picture, but David was late getting home from work and I was starving!

The only thing I might change is to use chicken broth for half of the apple juice, as it was a little sweet for my taste. Either that or maybe cut the currents in half.

Thanks! Sounds like a 'must make'!


<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> Contessa