Stuffed Cabbage

This deli favorite is a great make-ahead dish. Choose a dark green, loose-leaf head of Savoy cabbage and use the outer leaves.

12 large Savoy cabbage leaves

1 pound 90% to 93% lean ground beef

1 large shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup cooked white rice

1⁄4 cup chopped golden raisins

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon stemmed thyme or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme

1⁄2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup canned tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth

3 tablespoons lemon juice

11⁄2 tablespoons sugar

2 Roma or plum tomatoes, finely chopped

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the cabbage leaves and submerge them with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium- low and cook until tender and pliable, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander set in the sink; set aside.
• Position the rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Mix the ground beef, shallot, garlic, rice, raisins, salt, thyme, caraway seeds, and pepper in a large bowl.
• Lay one of the cabbage leaves on the work surface; mound 1⁄4 cup ground beef fi lling in the center of the leaf. Fold the sides over the fi lling, then roll the leaf closed. Place it seam side down in a 13 × 9- inch baking pan; continue making additional rolls.
• Mix the tomato sauce, broth, lemon juice, sugar, and chopped tomatoes in a large bowl; pour into the baking pan over the stuffed rolls. (The casserole can be made ahead up to this point; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, but allow the dish to come back to room temperature before baking.)
• Cover fi rst with parchment paper, then with aluminum foil; bake until bubbling, until the fi lling has cooked completely, and until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of one of the rolls registers 160°F (our preference for medium) or 170°F (the USDA recommendation for well done), about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Makes 6 servings