Swedish Cabbage Rolls

Category: Main Dishes | Blog URL: http://localokra.blogspot.com/2009/06/koldolmar-swedish-cabbage-rolls-with.html

This recipe was entered in The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook contest, a compilation of the world’s best food blogs which was published in Fall 2010.

Photo: Kelli Guinn

Ingredients

1 large head of cabbage

1 pound of ground venison

2 smalls eggs

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 smalls shallots, finely diced

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 cup cooked white rice (from ¾ cup, uncooked)

1/4 cup soy sauce

cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

To prepare your cabbage for rolling, cut out the core completely so that the leaves can be easily peeled away without breaking. Put these in some lightly salted, boiling water for about three minutes and then put them into an ice-water bath.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Once the cabbage leaves are cool, drain and dry them. Spoon some of the venison mixture into the thicker end of a cabbage leaf and roll, tucking in any excess at the sides.

The next step is to heat a skillet to medium-high heat and then add olive oil and about 1/4 cup of molasses. When this is good and hot, add the rolls one at a time, seam side down. All you want to do is brown the bottoms so that they caramelize. This will probably take two rounds.

Transfer the rolls to a casserole dish and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, add some stock (any kind you have) to the skillet and scrape up all the little bits left over from the rolls. Add a little heavy cream and you've got a sauce. Half way through the cook time, take the rolls out and cover them with the sauce so that they stay moist.

Serve with boiled potatoes with dill and a hard boiled egg.