Japanese Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage rolls are a popular Japanese dish that has been influenced from Western cuisine. Unlike most westernized cabbage rolls that are simmered in a tomato soup base, Japanese cabbage rolls are simmered in chicken stock and topped with pieces of bacon. They can be filled with pork, beef, or a combination of the two. To make the filling, the onions need to be lightly sautéed. This will bring out the sweetness in the onions and add more flavor to the filling. The cabbage leaves will need to be boiled for 3 minutes to soften them for rolling. Place a 1/2 cup of the filling in the cabbage leaf and roll in up. Place them seam side down in a saucepan with the chicken stock and bacon. Simmer for 40 minutes until the stock has reduced by half. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 large cabbage leaves
- 4 strips bacon chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- salt to taste
Cabbage Roll Filling
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs ground pork
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
Garnish
- parsley chopped
Instructions
- Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes until translucent. Take off the heat and let cool.
- Mix together all of the filling ingredients. Let rest in the refrigerator until ready for use.
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Boil the cabbage leaves for 3 minutes, just enough to soften them.
- Shock the leaves in ice water to stop the cooking process.
- When ready to roll, place a cabbage leaf flat on the surface with the rib side facing towards you. Place a 1/2 cup of the filling across the bottom center of the leaf.
- Fold up the bottom of the leaf over the top of the filling. Fold in the sides and roll it up.
- Place all of the cabbage rolls in a large saucepan. Top the rolls with chopped bacon. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low.
- Simmer the cabbage rolls for 40 minutes until the stock has reduced by half.
