Having just read the long thread about how to prepare cabbage leaves for
stuffing, I'm amazed that people go to so much work. So much time! Freezing,
Bah! All you need to do is soften them enough so that you can wrap them around
the filling without breaking the leaf.

To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head. Drop them in
the boiling water and Cover With a Lid, and steam them for a short time.--it
only takes 40 seconds or so. When they are bendable, simply lift them out with
tongs, and repeat with the rest of the leaves.

Steve Wertz wrote:
>
> On 25 Mar 2004 05:03:16 GMT, (Nancree) wrote:

> >To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
> >coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head.

> Often times you cant get the leaves off without ripping them. By
> dunking the whole head in water, you're assured that you can
> separate the leaves easily, as well as making them pliable for
> wrapping.
>
> Some heads are more/less "tangled" than others.

Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
part, they rip as you try to remove them.

nancy

Steve Wertz wrote:
>
> On 25 Mar 2004 05:03:16 GMT, (Nancree) wrote:

> >To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
> >coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head.

> Often times you cant get the leaves off without ripping them. By
> dunking the whole head in water, you're assured that you can
> separate the leaves easily, as well as making them pliable for
> wrapping.
>
> Some heads are more/less "tangled" than others.

Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
part, they rip as you try to remove them.

nancy

"Nancree" > wrote in message
...
> Having just read the long thread about how to prepare cabbage leaves for
> stuffing, I'm amazed that people go to so much work. So much time!
Freezing,
> Bah! All you need to do is soften them enough so that you can wrap them
around
> the filling without breaking the leaf.
>
> To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
> coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head. Drop
them in
> the boiling water and Cover With a Lid, and steam them for a short
time.--it
> only takes 40 seconds or so. When they are bendable, simply lift them out
with
> tongs, and repeat with the rest of the leaves.
>
>

Now this is funny! You complain that freezing is "so much work" and then
suggest a procedure that is much *more* work!


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

"Nancree" > wrote in message
...
> Having just read the long thread about how to prepare cabbage leaves for
> stuffing, I'm amazed that people go to so much work. So much time!
Freezing,
> Bah! All you need to do is soften them enough so that you can wrap them
around
> the filling without breaking the leaf.
>
> To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
> coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head. Drop
them in
> the boiling water and Cover With a Lid, and steam them for a short
time.--it
> only takes 40 seconds or so. When they are bendable, simply lift them out
with
> tongs, and repeat with the rest of the leaves.
>
>

Now this is funny! You complain that freezing is "so much work" and then
suggest a procedure that is much *more* work!


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

>"Peter Aitken" writes:
>
>>"Nancree" says
>>
>> I'm amazed that people go to so much work. So much time! Freezing, Bah!
>> All you need to do is soften them enough so that you can wrap them
>around
>> the filling without breaking the leaf.
>>
>> To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
>> coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head. Drop
>them in
>> the boiling water and Cover With a Lid, and steam them for a short time.--it
>> only takes 40 seconds or so. When they are bendable, simply lift them out
>> with tongs, and repeat with the rest
of the leaves.
>>
>Now this is funny! You complain that freezing is "so much work" and then
>suggest a procedure that is much *more* work!

It should be obvious why, he's never done it.

I've used all three methods, boiling, nuking, and freezing. Boiling and nuking
are both very labor intensive, require lots of handling and reheating, and give
poor results with consistancy, some leaves end up too crisp and need to be
reprocessed but worse are the leaves that end up over prorocessed and are way
to soft. Freezing entails practically no labor whatsoever and all the leaves
end up perfectly softened to the proper consistancy and all of the same
consistancy throuhgout the entire leaf and every leaf, regardless if it's a
tough outer leaf or a tender inner leaf... no guesswork. Anyone who has
actually made stuffed cabbage by the various methods would not disparage the
freezing method, obviously those lying instigating *trolls* have never.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

>"Peter Aitken" writes:
>
>>"Nancree" says
>>
>> I'm amazed that people go to so much work. So much time! Freezing, Bah!
>> All you need to do is soften them enough so that you can wrap them
>around
>> the filling without breaking the leaf.
>>
>> To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
>> coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head. Drop
>them in
>> the boiling water and Cover With a Lid, and steam them for a short time.--it
>> only takes 40 seconds or so. When they are bendable, simply lift them out
>> with tongs, and repeat with the rest
of the leaves.
>>
>Now this is funny! You complain that freezing is "so much work" and then
>suggest a procedure that is much *more* work!

It should be obvious why, he's never done it.

I've used all three methods, boiling, nuking, and freezing. Boiling and nuking
are both very labor intensive, require lots of handling and reheating, and give
poor results with consistancy, some leaves end up too crisp and need to be
reprocessed but worse are the leaves that end up over prorocessed and are way
to soft. Freezing entails practically no labor whatsoever and all the leaves
end up perfectly softened to the proper consistancy and all of the same
consistancy throuhgout the entire leaf and every leaf, regardless if it's a
tough outer leaf or a tender inner leaf... no guesswork. Anyone who has
actually made stuffed cabbage by the various methods would not disparage the
freezing method, obviously those lying instigating *trolls* have never.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

Nancy Young wrote:
>
> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
> part, they rip as you try to remove them.

This recipe is easy, it is a one pot dish and it freezes well. Tastes
very good. No cabbage leaves to wrangle.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beef And Veal Casseroles


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 medium onion -- peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 medium cabbage head- cored, quartered, and cut into 1" strips
1/4 cup water
28 ounces crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds -- optional
1 garlic clove -- finely minced
2 cups cooked rice

In a 6 quart Dutch oven, brown the ground beef, draining off the fat.
Add the chopped onion and cook until onion wilts and softens, 3-5
minutes. Add the chopped cabbage and water to the Dutch oven; cook
until the cabbage begins to soften and wilt, 5-8 minutes more.
Add tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, and
garlic; stir to mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and
cover. Simmer until cabbage is tender-crisp, 30 minutes or more.
Serve over rice.

S(Newspaper): "Lafayette Journal-Courier"

Nancy Young wrote:
>
> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
> part, they rip as you try to remove them.

This recipe is easy, it is a one pot dish and it freezes well. Tastes
very good. No cabbage leaves to wrangle.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beef And Veal Casseroles


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 medium onion -- peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 medium cabbage head- cored, quartered, and cut into 1" strips
1/4 cup water
28 ounces crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds -- optional
1 garlic clove -- finely minced
2 cups cooked rice

In a 6 quart Dutch oven, brown the ground beef, draining off the fat.
Add the chopped onion and cook until onion wilts and softens, 3-5
minutes. Add the chopped cabbage and water to the Dutch oven; cook
until the cabbage begins to soften and wilt, 5-8 minutes more.
Add tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, and
garlic; stir to mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and
cover. Simmer until cabbage is tender-crisp, 30 minutes or more.
Serve over rice.

S(Newspaper): "Lafayette Journal-Courier"

Get a pot of boiling water use a sharp knife to cut the core out of a large
head of cabbage. Just the core like you would with a tomatoes. Place the
head in the boiling water and remove the leaves with tongs as they become
loose. I always take the sharp knife and trim the heavy part of the leaf
without removing it. This helps when you fold and roll the cabbage leaves.
I have made upwards of 200 rolls for church gatherings and have always found
this to be the quickest and easiest way.
I would expect freezing to change the texture. I may be wrong about this.
I just use what works for me and worked for my Grandparents.

"Nancree" > wrote in message
...
> Having just read the long thread about how to prepare cabbage leaves for
> stuffing, I'm amazed that people go to so much work. So much time!
Freezing,
> Bah! All you need to do is soften them enough so that you can wrap them
around
> the filling without breaking the leaf.
>
> To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
> coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head. Drop
them in
> the boiling water and Cover With a Lid, and steam them for a short
time.--it
> only takes 40 seconds or so. When they are bendable, simply lift them out
with
> tongs, and repeat with the rest of the leaves.
>
>

Get a pot of boiling water use a sharp knife to cut the core out of a large
head of cabbage. Just the core like you would with a tomatoes. Place the
head in the boiling water and remove the leaves with tongs as they become
loose. I always take the sharp knife and trim the heavy part of the leaf
without removing it. This helps when you fold and roll the cabbage leaves.
I have made upwards of 200 rolls for church gatherings and have always found
this to be the quickest and easiest way.
I would expect freezing to change the texture. I may be wrong about this.
I just use what works for me and worked for my Grandparents.

"Nancree" > wrote in message
...
> Having just read the long thread about how to prepare cabbage leaves for
> stuffing, I'm amazed that people go to so much work. So much time!
Freezing,
> Bah! All you need to do is soften them enough so that you can wrap them
around
> the filling without breaking the leaf.
>
> To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
> coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head. Drop
them in
> the boiling water and Cover With a Lid, and steam them for a short
time.--it
> only takes 40 seconds or so. When they are bendable, simply lift them out
with
> tongs, and repeat with the rest of the leaves.
>
>

>"Emil Luca"
>
>Get a pot of boiling water use a sharp knife to cut the core out of a large
>head of cabbage.
>I have made upwards of 200 rolls for church gatherings and have always found
>this to be the quickest and easiest way.
>
>I would expect freezing to change the texture. I may be wrong about this.

Another low IQ dago ******* who has admitedly never tried something but feels
compelled to make a negative comment.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

>"Emil Luca"
>
>Get a pot of boiling water use a sharp knife to cut the core out of a large
>head of cabbage.
>I have made upwards of 200 rolls for church gatherings and have always found
>this to be the quickest and easiest way.
>
>I would expect freezing to change the texture. I may be wrong about this.

Another low IQ dago ******* who has admitedly never tried something but feels
compelled to make a negative comment.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

In article >,
Nancy Young > wrote:

> Steve Wertz wrote:
> >
> > On 25 Mar 2004 05:03:16 GMT, (Nancree) wrote:
>
> > >To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
> > >coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head.
>
> > Often times you cant get the leaves off without ripping them. By
> > dunking the whole head in water, you're assured that you can
> > separate the leaves easily, as well as making them pliable for
> > wrapping.
> >
> > Some heads are more/less "tangled" than others.
>
> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
> part, they rip as you try to remove them.
>
> nancy

That's one of the things I like about Savoy cabbage. :-)
That and the sweeter flavor......

They are much easier to take apart, so you can just stack the separated
leaves into a steamer to soften, or slice 'em up in strips for stir fry.

K.

--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

"There are many intelligent species in the universe, and they are all owned by cats! -- Asimov

>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby Farm>,,<Katraatcenturyteldotnet>,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

In article >,
Nancy Young > wrote:

> Steve Wertz wrote:
> >
> > On 25 Mar 2004 05:03:16 GMT, (Nancree) wrote:
>
> > >To do this, simply: Put on a pot of water two inches deep. While this is
> > >coming to a boil, carefully pull the leaves off the cabbage head.
>
> > Often times you cant get the leaves off without ripping them. By
> > dunking the whole head in water, you're assured that you can
> > separate the leaves easily, as well as making them pliable for
> > wrapping.
> >
> > Some heads are more/less "tangled" than others.
>
> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
> part, they rip as you try to remove them.
>
> nancy

That's one of the things I like about Savoy cabbage. :-)
That and the sweeter flavor......

They are much easier to take apart, so you can just stack the separated
leaves into a steamer to soften, or slice 'em up in strips for stir fry.

K.

--
Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

"There are many intelligent species in the universe, and they are all owned by cats! -- Asimov

>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby Farm>,,<Katraatcenturyteldotnet>,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

Steve Wertz wrote:

> Several of us commented that we *have* tried the freezing method
> and we all think it's inferior (or unacceptable).,
>

I have high standards for cooking. I've tried the freezer method and was very
pleased with the results. I can only assume you're doing something different to
get inferior results.
Goomba

Steve Wertz wrote:

> Several of us commented that we *have* tried the freezing method
> and we all think it's inferior (or unacceptable).,
>

I have high standards for cooking. I've tried the freezer method and was very
pleased with the results. I can only assume you're doing something different to
get inferior results.
Goomba

>Goomba38 writes:
>
>sqwertz spurts:
>
>> Several of us commented that we *have* tried the freezing method
>> and we all think it's inferior (or unacceptable).,
>
>
>I have high standards for cooking. I've tried the freezer method and was very
>pleased with the results. I can only assume you're doing something different
>to get inferior results.

Notice the use of "we" and "all"... which of course indicates that squertz has
never himself prepared stuffed cabbage by any method, in fact the closest the
lying little creep has ever come to preparing any food is his sqwerting salad
dressing packets on his drive-thru fries.

---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

>Goomba38 writes:
>
>sqwertz spurts:
>
>> Several of us commented that we *have* tried the freezing method
>> and we all think it's inferior (or unacceptable).,
>
>
>I have high standards for cooking. I've tried the freezer method and was very
>pleased with the results. I can only assume you're doing something different
>to get inferior results.

Notice the use of "we" and "all"... which of course indicates that squertz has
never himself prepared stuffed cabbage by any method, in fact the closest the
lying little creep has ever come to preparing any food is his sqwerting salad
dressing packets on his drive-thru fries.

---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

>Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
>> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
>> part, they rip as you try to remove them.
>
>This recipe is easy, it is a one pot dish and it freezes well. Tastes
>very good. No cabbage leaves to wrangle.

Thank you. I might try this recipe tomorrow.


> * Exported from MasterCook *
>
> Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole
>
>Recipe By :
>Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
>Categories : Beef And Veal Casseroles
>
>
> Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
>-------- ------------ --------------------------------
> 1 pound extra lean ground beef
> 1 medium onion -- peeled and coarsely chopped
>1/2 medium cabbage head- cored, quartered, and cut into 1" strips
>1/4 cup water
> 28 ounces crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
> 1 tablespoon brown sugar
> 1 tablespoon vinegar
>1/2 teaspoon salt
> freshly ground pepper, to taste
>1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds -- optional
> 1 garlic clove -- finely minced
> 2 cups cooked rice
>
>In a 6 quart Dutch oven, brown the ground beef, draining off the fat.
>Add the chopped onion and cook until onion wilts and softens, 3-5
>minutes. Add the chopped cabbage and water to the Dutch oven; cook
>until the cabbage begins to soften and wilt, 5-8 minutes more.
>Add tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, and
>garlic; stir to mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and
>cover. Simmer until cabbage is tender-crisp, 30 minutes or more.
>Serve over rice.
>
>S(Newspaper): "Lafayette Journal-Courier"
>
>

>Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
>> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
>> part, they rip as you try to remove them.
>
>This recipe is easy, it is a one pot dish and it freezes well. Tastes
>very good. No cabbage leaves to wrangle.

Thank you. I might try this recipe tomorrow.


> * Exported from MasterCook *
>
> Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole
>
>Recipe By :
>Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
>Categories : Beef And Veal Casseroles
>
>
> Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
>-------- ------------ --------------------------------
> 1 pound extra lean ground beef
> 1 medium onion -- peeled and coarsely chopped
>1/2 medium cabbage head- cored, quartered, and cut into 1" strips
>1/4 cup water
> 28 ounces crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
> 1 tablespoon brown sugar
> 1 tablespoon vinegar
>1/2 teaspoon salt
> freshly ground pepper, to taste
>1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds -- optional
> 1 garlic clove -- finely minced
> 2 cups cooked rice
>
>In a 6 quart Dutch oven, brown the ground beef, draining off the fat.
>Add the chopped onion and cook until onion wilts and softens, 3-5
>minutes. Add the chopped cabbage and water to the Dutch oven; cook
>until the cabbage begins to soften and wilt, 5-8 minutes more.
>Add tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, and
>garlic; stir to mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and
>cover. Simmer until cabbage is tender-crisp, 30 minutes or more.
>Serve over rice.
>
>S(Newspaper): "Lafayette Journal-Courier"
>
>

Greykits wrote:
>
> >Nancy Young wrote:
> >>
> >> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
> >> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
> >> part, they rip as you try to remove them.
> >
> >This recipe is easy, it is a one pot dish and it freezes well. Tastes
> >very good. No cabbage leaves to wrangle.
>
> Thank you. I might try this recipe tomorrow.

I think it looks great, too. Just wanted to point out that Becca
posted it. Thank you, Becca.

nancy

Greykits wrote:
>
> >Nancy Young wrote:
> >>
> >> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
> >> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
> >> part, they rip as you try to remove them.
> >
> >This recipe is easy, it is a one pot dish and it freezes well. Tastes
> >very good. No cabbage leaves to wrangle.
>
> Thank you. I might try this recipe tomorrow.

I think it looks great, too. Just wanted to point out that Becca
posted it. Thank you, Becca.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:
> Greykits wrote:
>>
>>> Nancy Young wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
>>>> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
>>>> part, they rip as you try to remove them.
>>>
>>> This recipe is easy, it is a one pot dish and it freezes well.
>>> Tastes very good. No cabbage leaves to wrangle.
>>
>> Thank you. I might try this recipe tomorrow.
>
> I think it looks great, too. Just wanted to point out that Becca
> posted it. Thank you, Becca.
>
> nancy

I made something similar once when I had a particularly stubborn (tightly
wrapped) cabbage whose leaves didn't want to come off no matter what I did.
It was like it was screaming "no! you will NOT make cabbage rolls out of
me!" Okay, ya fokker, I'll just rip your leaves off! Layered them into a
casserole dish with all the other ingredients for stuffed cabbage rolls and
beat the damned cabbage at its own game

Jill

Nancy Young wrote:
> Greykits wrote:
>>
>>> Nancy Young wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Exactly, the whole cabbage leaves thing was about how to get the
>>>> leaves off the cabbage, not how to soften them. That's the hard
>>>> part, they rip as you try to remove them.
>>>
>>> This recipe is easy, it is a one pot dish and it freezes well.
>>> Tastes very good. No cabbage leaves to wrangle.
>>
>> Thank you. I might try this recipe tomorrow.
>
> I think it looks great, too. Just wanted to point out that Becca
> posted it. Thank you, Becca.
>
> nancy

I made something similar once when I had a particularly stubborn (tightly
wrapped) cabbage whose leaves didn't want to come off no matter what I did.
It was like it was screaming "no! you will NOT make cabbage rolls out of
me!" Okay, ya fokker, I'll just rip your leaves off! Layered them into a
casserole dish with all the other ingredients for stuffed cabbage rolls and
beat the damned cabbage at its own game

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in message >...
> I made something similar once when I had a particularly stubborn (tightly
> wrapped) cabbage whose leaves didn't want to come off no matter what I did.
> It was like it was screaming "no! you will NOT make cabbage rolls out of
> me!" Okay, ya fokker, I'll just rip your leaves off! Layered them into a
> casserole dish with all the other ingredients for stuffed cabbage rolls and
> beat the damned cabbage at its own game
>
> Jill

I've always tried to remove intact leaves for Middle Eastern cabbage
rolls, then soften them just a bit in boiling water so they would roll
without breaking. The other day I caught an episode of Martha Stewart
(Food Network - Viacom pulled MSL here) where her mother was making
Polish cabbage rolls. Mrs. Kostyra dropped the entire head of cabbage
into boiling water for a minute or two, peeled off as many leaves as
she could easily, then dropped the rest of the head back in,
continuing until the leaf size was too small to work with. I tried it
last weekend. Doh! It worked like a charm.
- Chris
---
http://www.sudairy.com/

"jmcquown" > wrote in message >...
> I made something similar once when I had a particularly stubborn (tightly
> wrapped) cabbage whose leaves didn't want to come off no matter what I did.
> It was like it was screaming "no! you will NOT make cabbage rolls out of
> me!" Okay, ya fokker, I'll just rip your leaves off! Layered them into a
> casserole dish with all the other ingredients for stuffed cabbage rolls and
> beat the damned cabbage at its own game
>
> Jill

I've always tried to remove intact leaves for Middle Eastern cabbage
rolls, then soften them just a bit in boiling water so they would roll
without breaking. The other day I caught an episode of Martha Stewart
(Food Network - Viacom pulled MSL here) where her mother was making
Polish cabbage rolls. Mrs. Kostyra dropped the entire head of cabbage
into boiling water for a minute or two, peeled off as many leaves as
she could easily, then dropped the rest of the head back in,
continuing until the leaf size was too small to work with. I tried it
last weekend. Doh! It worked like a charm.
- Chris
---
http://www.sudairy.com/