STUFFED NAPA CABBAGE BRAISED IN TOMATO SAUCE

Stuffed Napa Cabbage Braised in Tomato Sauce image

Simmered cabbage leaves are rolled around a ground turkey filling spiced with ground cumin and cayenne pepper. Tomato sauce keeps the rolls moist while they cook.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Turkey Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 23

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked barley
2 heads Napa cabbage
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 rib celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 green, red, or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 tomato, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup raisins
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 fourteen-ounce can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons light-brown sugar
2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 2 tablespoons chopped
2 sprigs fresh oregano, plus 2 tablespoons chopped

Steps:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Stir in barley; reduce to simmer. Cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain in a colander or fine sieve, and rinse with cold water. Cover, and set aside.
Fill saucepan with water; boil. Remove cabbage's large outer leaves.You'll need 24 large leaves. Add half to boiling water; simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander; cool. Repeat with remaining leaves; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine shallot, carrot, celery, pepper, tomato, raisins, turkey, cumin, coriander, cayenne, nutmeg, cloves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 cup reserved barley. Using hands, mix. Chill until ready to assemble.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a highsided saute pan on medium heat.Add onion and garlic; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, brown sugar, parsley sprigs, and oregano sprigs. Stir to combine; bring to a boil. Reduce to gentle simmer; cover. Cook while assembling cabbage. Once cooked, the sauce can be pureed if desired.
Lay 2 cabbage leaves side by side, slightly overlapping, on a work surface. (If leaves are large, use one.) Place a heaping 1/3 cup turkey mixture on the stem end. Roll into a tight cylinder, folding in ends. Repeat with remaining leaves and mixture. Uncover sauce; place cabbage rolls in a baking pan. Spoon sauce over tops; cover. Bake 1 hour.
Meanwhile, toss reserved barley and remaining teaspoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover; set aside.
After 1 hour, remove rolls from oven. Serve over room-temperature barley mixture, topped with sauce and chopped herbs.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 286 g, Cholesterol 52 g, Fat 10 g, Fiber 9 g, Protein 8 g, Sodium 987 g