When I was just a child, my mom made the finest cabbage rolls I had ever tasted, and back then, I had tasted a few as all the neighbor kids’ moms were making them too. Her secret was the use of lacy savoy cabbage, mixed mushrooms, lots of garlic, and an abundance of fresh herbs. I crave them from time to time and though moms were made with meat, to satisfy my childhood craving, I developed a vegan version that I enjoy just as much (shh…if not more.)
Makes: Approx 8-10 rolls
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, dry, rinsed
1 head savoy cabbage
1 Tb. coconut oil
3/4 cup yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lbs. mixed mushrooms, diced (crimini, porcini, portobello, shiitake)
2 Tb. pine nuts
3 Tb. parsley, minced
1 Tb. fresh mint, minced
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
1/8 tsp. ground clove
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. fresh dill, minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 Tb. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups diced canned diced tomatoes
4 Tb. tomato paste
2 cups fresh tomato sauce
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup vegetable stock
Preparation:
1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add quinoa, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and let rest covered for 5 minute. Fluff quinoa with a fork and set aside.
2. Remove outer cabbage leaves. Carefully cut the base away and reserve 8-10 cabbage leaves. Cut away a bit of the thick end.
3. Boil a large pot of salted water, and one at time, blanch the leaves for about 3 minutes. Quickly remove, and transfer to a dish prepared with ice water. Let rest in water for 1 minute and then set aside to dry.
4. In a large skillet, heat coconut oil and onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
5. Add cooked quinoa to bowl, then add pine nuts, parsley, mint, red chili flakes, clove, nutmeg, dill, sea salt, pepper, and agave. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
6. Heat oven to 300 degrees.
7. Using a flat and clear surface, layout cabbage leaves, and fill each with about 1/8 – 1/4 cup mixture. Roll cabbage over the mix, tuck in sides, and finish rolling up.
8. Gently place rolls seam side down in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
9. In a saucepan, combine diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, fennel, oregano, and vegetable stock. Heat on low for 5 minutes and then pour over rolls.
10. Cover rolls with tin foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes.
