Cabbage Rolls

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I never thought I’d say that a meat-stuffed cabbage would be my new favorite dish, but it is true. I guess that’s what living in a house with three guys will do to you! I’d tried a recipe for stuffed cabbage a while back, and I didn’t like it. It used bratwurst, which I’m not the biggest fan of in the first place. Plus, I think the dish and I had just gotten off on the wrong foot to begin with. Cabbage rolls were always something I saw other families eating, and were kind of grossed out by. Meat and cabbage, okay. But, to slather it in tomato sauce? Weird.

I came across this recipe on Pinterest, and I couldn’t wait to try it. I had originally written in Swedish meatballs into our menu for the week, but decided to swap it out for the cabbage rolls where the main ingredients (ground pork and beef) were the same. Completely and totally blew everyone away! They are braised in red wine, and that really does something for the cabbage. Cabbage can be such a harsh flavor, but the wine balances it right out. And, the cabbage mellows the wine out. It’s a win-win! The rice combined with the ground meats really lightens up the texture of the filling, too. Often meat fillings can be so dense and rubbery – this was just right. Also, I’m pleased to report that the tomato sauce fits right in perfectly. You really can’t go wrong when the base for the sauce is the delicious beefy, wine-y braising liquid. If you’re looking for a last minute Christmas Eve supper, look no further. With a little bit of prep work leafing the head of cabbage (that I actually found quite fun!), this is a dinner that takes care of itself on the stove top – so you can spend more time doing the fun stuff. Plus, the scent of it bubbling away is intoxicating…

Also, I finally hopped on the Facebook bandwagon. Stop by and say howdy over there, if you are so inclined. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!


Cabbage Rolls

1 large head cabbage
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1 large egg
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups beef broth
1 cup red wine (replace with broth if you prefer not using wine)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour

Remove the core from the cabbage and drop the entire head into a large pot of lightly salted simmering water. Cook for a few minutes, then start to pull off the outer leaves. My pot was a bit on the small side, so I turned the cabbage around with a wooden spoon from time to time.

Combine the beef, pork, rice, onion, garlic, parsley, egg, paprika, caraway seed, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix together until everything is well combined.

Cut the rib out of the leaf to about half way up. Bring the sides in a bit and position the filling over the cut. The amount of filling will depend on the size of the leaf; around 1/3 cup. Bring the bottom cut pieces of cabbage leaf up over the meat, and bring in the sides, then roll it up beginning at the bottom finishing with the loose end underneath the roll. Continue until the rest of the filling is used up.

Cut up the remaining cabbage into strips and place those into the bottom of a heavy pot or dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. Arrange the cabbage rolls over the cut leaves, then pour the beef broth and wine (if using) over the rolls.

Cover the pot and turn on the heat to low. Cook for about 3 hours or until the rice is tender.

Arrange the cabbage rolls and the cut cabbage strips onto a warmed platter.

Stir together the tomato paste and flour until you have a smooth paste. Stir a few spoons of hot broth into the mixture, then return all of it to the pot. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, stirring all the time. Cook for another minute or two, adjust the seasoning if necessary, then spoon the sauce over the cabbage rolls.

Source:  adapted from Cooking Weekends

Slow Roasted Beef

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We haven’t been eating a lot of beef recently. I usually only buy steaks and roasts when they are on sale, and it’s been a while since I’ve come across a good deal.  Beef can be so expensive, but it’s something everyone in the house really enjoys and looks forward to. Enter, the eye of the round roast. At around $3.00 per pound, it’s a very affordable cut. I love a beautiful tenderloin as much as the next person, but they’re very pricey!

This is a great option for nice dinner of roasted beef, that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Would also be great for entertaining for the Holidays (roast beast, anyone?). It requires a bit of forethought, with the salt marinade overnight, but otherwise it’s pretty effortless. If you don’t have a digital probe thermometer, I highly recommend getting one. To achieve proper medium-rare results with beef, it’s an essential piece of kitchen equipment. Makes roasting meats of any kind a “no-brainer”. I served it sliced, as is. But, it’s also wonderful with a bit of horseradish – or, a jus made from the pan drippings. Leftovers make a fabulous french dip or roast beef sandwiches the next day. Put this on your menu for Sunday dinner this week!

Slow Roasted Beef

1 boneless eye-round roast (3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds)
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons olive oil plus 1 tablespoon
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Sprinkle all sides of roast evenly with salt. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 18 to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Pat roast dry with paper towels; rub with 2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle all sides evenly with pepper. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until starting to smoke. Sear roast until browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer roast to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Roast until meat-probe thermometer or instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 115 degrees for medium-rare, 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours, or 125 degrees for medium, 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours.

Turn oven off; leave roast in oven, without opening door, until meat-probe thermometer or instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 130 degrees for medium-rare or 140 degrees for medium, 30 to 50 minutes longer. Transfer roast to carving board and let rest 15 minutes. Slice meat crosswise as thinly as possible and serve.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, January/February 2008

Chicago Italian Beef

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My mom used to make something she called “Chicago Beef” sandwiches when I was growing up. It was a chuck roast that was simmered in the crock pot all day. Then served over crusty Italian rolls with melted cheese on top. It was one of my favorite dinners! I’d forgotten all about it until I saw it featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Googled recipes and came up with a ton. Evidently, most people refer to it as “Italian Beef”. I suppose it’s also known as Chicago Beef because the place that “put it on the map”, Al’s Beef, is in Chicago. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a great sandwich!

I knew I wanted to cook it in the dutch oven, and not the crock pot. While I love the crock pot, I think you get a better flavor from roasts from cooking in the oven. I’m sure it would be great prepared in a slow cooker, but I’d definitely deglaze the pan with the beef broth – then add that to the pot with the beef and peppers.  If you’re worried about it being spicy because of the peppers – don’t be! Pepperocinis are very mild peppers. They just have a great, zippy flavor. I love the addition of these to the beef! Totally make the sandwich in my opinion. I used provolone cheese, but mozzarella would be wonderful too.

It’s traditional to dunk the whole sandwich in the braising liquid before serving. But, I have “issues” with soggy bread. I think the sandwich has plenty of juiciness without any dunking. You could always serve a small dish of the jus on the side as well. I also topped my sandwich with some sliced banana peppers, just because I wanted a little extra crunch. They were a hit with everyone in the house, and an easy dinner that pretty much takes care of itself. Will definitely be on our menus in the future!

Chicago Italian Beef Sandwiches

2 Tbsp olive oil
3.5 – 4 lb. whole beef Chuck roast, trimmed as desired
1 3/4 cups beef broth (low sodium)
¼ cups water
3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2  jar (16 oz) Pepperoncini peppers, with juice
submarine or steak rolls
sliced provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 275°F.

In a heavy oven-safe pot or dutch oven, add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil. Over medium-high heat, add chuck roast. Add the roast and sear for 4 – 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 -5 minutes for each side. Remove dutch oven from heat. Add beef broth, water, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepperoncini peppers.  Stir to combine seasonings with liquid.

Cover dutch oven and bake in preheated oven for 5-6 hours, or until meat is fork-tender and falling apart. Remove from oven and shred meat. Return to dutch oven.

To assemble the sandwiches – Preheat oven to 400°F. On a large cookie sheet, toast deli rolls (butter is optional) for 5-10 minutes. Top toasted rolls with warm shredded beef & sliced provolone cheese. Return to oven 3-4 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Source: The Pioneer Woman, via Delish

Swedish Meatballs

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In the past, I haven’t been a huge fan of Swedish meatballs. The only rendition I’d had of them was from a frozen microwavable meal, and certainly left something to be desired. A couple of years ago, while we were on travel with my husband in DC, Andrew and I were looking for something to do. We’d been to the museums, the National Zoo, and all the upscale grocery stores in the “big city” to stock up on provisions to take home with us. I’d noticed that there was an Ikea about 5 minutes from the hotel, and thought that could be a fun activity to spend some time waiting for “Dad” to get out of work.

Andrew was confined to the stroller at the time, but was a trooper as I investigated ever nook and cranny of the store. I loved the bright colors and patterns of all the textiles, the organization options- a place for everything, the clean simple lines of the furniture. Oh yeah, and the Swedish Meatballs! Halfway through our journey Andrew and I stopped at the cafeteria for a bite to eat. We shared an order of the meatballs, with a side of mashed red potatoes and lingonberry jelly. A far, far cry from the dreaded microwave meals! I knew this dish had to be even better made at home as well. Their meatballs are okay, but they’re still frozen, mass-produced, and chock full of fillers.

I Googled recipes and bookmarked a few, but finally decided on Elise’s version after a recommendation from my best friend. They were absolutely delicious. The rich, beefy, creamy sauce en robes the tender bites of the beef/pork mixture. I was always of the school of the beef meatball, but I think this recipe has made me a convert. They literally melt in your mouth, a different texture completely from a beef meatball.  The recipe makes a lot of meatballs. I think they’d be delightful for a party as an appetizer instead of the traditional red sauce meatballs. The meatballs and sauce would be fine in a Crock-Pot on low for a few hours. I did change the spice combination in them, as I diddn’t have cardamom, and had no problems. I stock up on Lingonberry jelly (and the drink concentrate too!) when I’m at Ikea, but if you can’t find it then I think boysenberry jam or cranberry jelly would be a good alternative.

Swedish Meatballs

For the meatballs:
1 large yellow or white onion, peeled, grated (through a cheese grater)
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup milk
4-5 slices of bread, crusts removed, bread cut into pieces
2 eggs
1 pound ground pork
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons black pepper

For the sauce:
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
1 quart beef stock
3/4 cup sour cream
Salt
2 to 4 Tbsp of Lingonberry, cranberry, or boysenberry jelly, more or less to taste (optional)

Sauté the grated onion in the butter over medium-high heat until the onions soften and turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a medium bowl, mix the bread pieces with the milk. Set aside for 15-20 minutes, or until the bread soaks up all the milk. When it does, pulverize the bread in a food processor and pour it into a large bowl.

Add the cooled onions to the bowl of milk and bread. Add the rest of the meatball ingredients—eggs, ground pork, ground beef, salt, nutmeg, allspice, pepper. Using your (clean) hands, mix well for about 2 minutes until the ingredients are well combined. Use a tablespoon to measure out the meat for the meatballs. As you form the meatballs, set each one aside on a sheet pan or plate. You should get 40 to 50 meatballs.

Heat 6 tablespoons of butter for the sauce in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, reduce the heat to medium and add some of the meatballs. Do not crowd the pan. Work in batches, browning them slowly on all sides. Be gentle when you turn them so they don’t break apart. Do not cook the meatballs all the way through, only brown them at this stage. Once browned, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan, setting them aside so you can make the sauce with the remaining pan butter.

Start the sauce. (Check the pan butter to see if it has burned. If the butter tastes burnt, discard the butter and replace with new 6 tablespoons.) Heat the pan butter on medium until hot. Slowly whisk in the flour. Stirring often, let the flour cook until it is the color of coffee-with-cream; this is a classic roux.

As the roux is cooking, heat the beef stock in another pot until it simmers. When the roux has cooked until the color of coffee-with-cream, slowly add the hot beef stock a little at a time. Everything will sputter at first, and the sauce will seize up and solidify. Keep stirring and adding stock slowly, and it will loosen up and become silky.

To finish, remove the meatballs from the sauce. Add the sour cream and mix well. Either add the lingonberry jelly to the sauce or serve it on the side if you like.  Add the meatballs to the sauce and turn the heat down to low. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Remove to serving dish and serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Simply Recipes