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1
Puree the onions, carrots, celery and garlic to a coarse paste in a food processor.
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2
Coat a large wide pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat.
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3
Add the pancetta and cook until it's brown and crispy.
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4
Add the pureed veggies and cook them until they become very soft and aromatic and are starting to turn brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
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5
Stir in the white wine and let it reduce by half.
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6
Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, and thyme bundle and season with salt, to taste.
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7
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
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8
Reserve.
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9
To prep the cabbage:
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10
Add the vinegar to large pot of well-salted water and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
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11
Set up a bowl of well-salted iced water.
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12
Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then immediately plunge it into the bowl of iced water.
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13
When the leaves are cool, remove them from the water and pat them dry.
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14
Reserve.
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15
Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and put over medium heat.
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16
Add the onions and season with salt, to taste.
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17
Cook the onions until they are translucent and very aromatic, about 6 to 7 minutes.
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18
Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
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19
Turn off the heat and let cool.
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20
In a large bowl combine the ground pork, pork sausage, chicken livers, if using, bread crumbs, Parmesan, egg, rosemary and crushed red pepper flakes.
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21
Season with salt, to taste.
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22
Add the chicken stock and mix well to combine.
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23
Stir in the cooked onions and garlic.
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24
Make a tester patty, cook it and eat it.
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25
It should taste really good, if it doesn't, adjust the seasoning.
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26
Lay each cabbage leaf on a flat work surface.
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27
Spoon a generous 1/4 cup of filling into each leaf.
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28
Fold the outside edges in and roll the leaf around the stuffing.
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29
Arrange each roll with the seam side down so that the roll will hold itself shut.
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30
Add the cabbage rolls to the sauce.
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31
Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
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32
Uncover and simmer until the sauce has reduced to a thick, sauce-like consistency, about15 to 20 minutes.
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33
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
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34
Transfer the cabbage rolls to a serving platter and lightly cover with the sauce.
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35
Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.
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36
MMMMMM...cabbage!