Forget the Hassle of Rolling and Make this Simple Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage!

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One of the first cooking endeavors I tried in my late teens was making “Stuffed Cabbage.” I remember it clearly because at the time I didn’t know what a garlic clove was in relation to a head of garlic. Yep, you guessed it! I used the whole head in making my dish and whoa was it garlicky! It was my first attempt at a “start from scratch” meal in the first apartment living out of my parents’ home. Fortunately, my guests were my mother and a dear friend of ours who were both very gracious about my error, saying it was delicious!

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I recall it took me hours to cook the cabbage, separate the leaves and roll up the filling inside. It occurred to me that I could probably manufacture the same flavors without all of the hassle by making the dish deconstructed. And then another light bulb went off as I realized I could substitute Bok Choy for the cabbage, since I had a produce drawer full of farm-fresh baby bok choy from my Talley Farms CSA box!

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To create the dish, I used my incredible Cuisinart 3 in 1 Multicooker. It is a really nifty appliance that allows you to sauté, roast, steam and slow cook all in one unit! (This recipe is easily doable on the stovetop or in the oven if you don’t have one of them) The Multicooker allows me to first sauté the onion, meats and garlic and then turn it to the slow cook program to finish the dish all in the same pan! I prefer the taste of sautéed vegetables and browned meats as a base for my dishes as I believe it really enhances the final flavor. 

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Since I hadn’t used all of the bok choy in my produce drawer, I decided to sauté the rest and serve it as a base for leftovers. It was super yummy that way.

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The next day I roasted sweet potatoes and served the Unstuffed Cabbage on top. Another terrific idea!

This dish is quite versatile and my recipe makes a lot, so you can freeze a portion or cut it down to fit your needs. You can also substitute other ground meats such as turkey if you prefer. And of course, you can make it with cabbage instead of bok choy. I happen to know I will be getting some yummy cabbage in the near future from Talley Farms!

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Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage made with Bok Choy

Serves 10

Ingredients
  • 8 small or 6 medium heads baby bok choy, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 lb. ground round
  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1 cup long grain brown rice
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp. paprika (or to taste)
  • 1 – 28 oz. can whole San Marzano tomatoes with juice
  • 2 15 oz. cans organic tomato sauce
Instructions
  1. Slow Cooker Version (can easily be converted to roasting or stovetop cooking)
  2. On the sauté setting of your slow cooker or in a large saucepan on the stove, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the meats and cook until they are lightly browned and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Turn the slow cooker setting to high-slow cook.
  3. If you were sautéing on the stovetop, add the mixture to your slow cooker. Season the meat mixture with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, and add Worcestershire sauce and paprika. Add the tomatoes, squeezing them one by one with your fingers as you add to break them up; then add the rest of the liquid in the can. Add the two cans of tomato sauce and bok choy. Mix thoroughly.
  4. Slow cook on high for 3 hours. Add rice and mix in, cooking for another 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high until the rice is completely cooked.
  5. Serve in bowls with crusty bread if desired.
Notes
  • As leftovers, I sautéed some additional bok choy in vegetable oil and butter with a little salt to caramelize and served it as a base for another meal. It was delish!
  • On a different day, I also served some leftovers on top of a roasted sweet potato. Super easy and a simple way to change it up a bit.
  • If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can alter the recipe by cooking it in the oven or on the stovetop. Cook it over a medium low heat (or in the oven at 350°) and it will probably take about an hour (after sautéing) to cook the meat and bok choy first and another 45 minutes to an hour with the rice added. Taste to test it.

(click here) for printable recipe

 

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