Cheesy Bacon Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

Cheesy Stuffed Cabbage Rolled With Bacon – Because that’s how I roll!
by Chef Patricia DeMauro

Preparation

1. CABBAGE – Parboil cabbage in a large pan of water. Bring to a low boil for 20 – 30 minutes, and set aside in a strainer to drain and cool. The cabbage should be on the firmer side when cooked, so it is easier to roll. When the cabbage is cooled down, take a sharp knife and remove the core and the deep white vein from the cabbage.
2. Separate the leaves of the cabbage and set them aside on a large dish. Dab the leaves with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
3. TOMATO SAUCE – Melt butter in a moderately heated sauté pan. Add the garlic cloves and 1/2 of the chopped onion to the pan, then lightly brown both in the melted butter. Add 1 cup of canned tomato sauce and 3/4 cup of crushed tomatoes to the cooked onion and garlic, then cook on low for 20 minutes. Stir often. Set aside. This will be used as the topping for the stuffed cabbage rolls.
4. GROUND BEEF MIXTURE In a large bowl, mix ground beef, parboiled rice (on the firm side), 1/2 chopped onion, salt, black pepper, egg (beat egg in a separate bowl then add to ground meat) and 1 can tomato sauce with green chilies. 1/4 cup of crushed tomatoes. If your store doesn’t carry tomato sauce with green chili peppers, then put in the 1 can of tomato sauce, and also add a separate can of green chiles.
5. Scoop up 1/4 – 1/2 cup of ground beef mixture, and add to one cabbage leaf, then roll up the leaf. If the leaves are small place two side by side and roll as one. Do this with all the leaves, and place them into a casserole pan.
6. When all leaves are stuffed, wrap one to two strips of bacon around each roll, and place them back into the casserole dish. Pour your cooked tomato sauce mixture over the stuffed cabbage rolls. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 1 hour.
7. After 1 hour, put cooking gloves on your hands, then remove the pan from the oven, and remove the aluminum foil from the casserole dish (be careful of the heat). Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese to top of the cooked cabbage rolls. Then place the casserole dish back into the oven, under the broiler, on low for 5 – 10 minutes until the cheese melts and the bacon is crisp.

Remember to be Creative and Mangia Perfecto!!!