I love lamb burgers and lamb meatballs, so it's no surprise that I love lamb-stuffed cabbage rolls, and I'm happy to report that these particular 'lambage rolls' were the best non-beef version yet!
Ingredients
- butter: 0.25 cup
- olive oil: 2 Tbsp
- onion: 0.5 piece (diced)
- garlic: 4 clove (crushed)
- ground black pepper: 1 tsp
- ground cumin: 1 tsp
- ground cinnamon: 0.5 tsp
- cayenne pepper: 0.25 tsp
- pinch dried oregano: 1 piece
- ground lamb: 1 pound
- white rice: 1 cup
- salt: 2 tsp
- packed chopped Italian parsley: 0.25 cup (optional)
- almonds: 2 Tbsp (sliced)
- currants: 1 Tbsp (dried)
- head cabbage: 1 piece
- salt and ground black pepper: (to taste)
- bay leaves: 2 piece
- tomato puree: 1 cup
- ½ cups chicken broth: 3 piece
- onion: 0.5 piece (sliced)
- crumbled feta cheese: 0.25 cup (optional)
- Italian parsley: 2 Tbsp (chopped, optional)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; heat oil in the melted butter. Cook and stir 1/2 diced onion until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
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Combine lamb, rice, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 cup parsley, almonds, and currants in a large bowl. Add cooled onion mixture and mix until combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Remove the core from the cabbage head and place the head in the boiling water. Cover and simmer until leaves begin to fall away, about 5 minutes. Remove the 2 outer layers of leaves to a paper towel-lined plate, cover and continue cooking for 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove the remaining large leaves to the plate. You will need 8 large and about 7 smaller leaves.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
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Take 1 cabbage leaf and remove the root end. Place about 1/2 cup of the lamb mixture toward the bottom edge of the cabbage leaf and roll into a log. Repeat with remaining lamb mixture and 7 more large leaves to create 8 cabbage rolls.
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Line the bottom of a large casserole dish or Dutch oven with 4 or 5 smaller cabbage leaves. Place cabbage rolls on top; season with salt and black pepper. Add bay leaves and tomato puree. Pour in chicken broth. Sprinkle 1/2 sliced onion over the top and cover with 3 or 4 more cabbage leaves. Cover casserole.
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Bake in the preheated oven until the lamb is tender and the rice is cooked, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Serve with pan juices poured over the top and garnished with feta cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
