Saveur – July 2019

73

Cabbage Rolls with Beef and Rice
MAKES 15
Active: 40 min. • Total: 1 hr. 40 min.

Tender, generously spiced, and cooked in a
p ool of tomato a nd bu t ter sauce, the se silk y
cabbage rolls are a staple at Jamil’s. Look for a
firm cabbage with no bruising on the leaves.

1 large head white or green cabbage (2 lb.)
1½ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more for
the water
¼ cup tomato paste
1½ lb. ground beef
¾ cup (6 oz.) unsalted butter, melted and
divided
½ cup (3¾ oz.) medium-grain rice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 Use a paring knife to cut out the core of the
cabbage in a neat circle, and discard it, leaving
the head whole.

2 Fill a large bowl with ice water, and place it
by the stove. Bring a large pot of well-salted
water to a rapid boil over high heat, then add
the cabbage head, stem side up. Use tongs
to ca ref ully remove the leave s a s they sepa -
rate from the head, transferring them to the
ice water as they release. When all the leaves
are removed and chilled, drain them well and
pat dry. Split the largest leaves in half, and cut
away and discard any large, tough ribs.

3 In a medium bowl, whisk 2 cups cold water
with the tomato paste and set aside. In a large
bowl, combine the beef, ½ cup melted butter,
the rice, 3 tablespoons cold water, ½ teaspoon
salt, the cinnamon, and pepper. Use your
hands to mix well.

4 Working one at a time, wrap ¼-cup portions
of the meat mixture tightly in cabbage leaves to
form a thick cigar shape, squeezing them snugly
to secure. Arrange the rolls tightly along the
bottom of a large Dutch oven in a circular pat-
tern. Tuck the garlic cloves between the rolls.
Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of salt,
then add the tomato water. Place a plate on top
of the rolls to keep them submerged. Cover the
pot and bring the liquid to a boil over medium
heat. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer, and
cook until the rice is tender and the cabbage
leave s a re silk y, a bou t 4 5 minu te s. Turn off the
heat, uncover the pot, and drizzle the remain-
ing butter over the top of the rolls. Cover and let
stand off the heat for 15 minutes.

5 Place a large, rimmed platter upside down
over the pot, and invert. Alternatively, use
a large spoon to transfer the rolls and their
juices to a rimmed platter and serve.

Steakhouse Tabbouleh

SERVES 8

Total: 25 min.

Bulgur—parboiled, dried, and cracked wheat

berrie s — is the ba se of this Leba ne se sa lad. Use

“superfine,” or type No. 1, which hydrates with

just a quick soak in the vinaigrette.

¾ cup finely cracked bulgur wheat

4 large tomatoes, finely diced (4½ cups)

2 medium green bell peppers, finely diced

(2 cups)

1 English cucumber, finely diced (2 cups)

8 medium scallions, thinly sliced (1⅔ cups)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more as

needed

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 large bunches Italian parsley, leaves

finely chopped (2⅔ cups)

2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint leaves

1 In a fine strainer, rinse the bulgur well under

cold running water. Let drain thoroughly.

2 Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl. Add the

tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, scallions,

olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with kosher

salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss

to combine. Add the parsley and mint, and

toss gently; set aside at room temperature for

10 minutes before serving.

Za’atar Barbecue Sauce

MAKES 2⅓ CUPS

Total: 10 min.

Fusing American and Middle Eastern flavors,

this tart and spicy sauce contains plenty of

dried mint and za’atar—a spice blend made

from thyme, sesame, sumac, and salt. Dried

mint is often stemmy, so to achieve a fine pow-

der, rub the leaves through a dry, fine mesh

stra iner. At Ja mil ’s , this sauce is ser ve d on i ts

4-hour-smoked ribs and smoked bologna.

1½ cups ketchup

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce

¼ cup powdered dried mint

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup za’atar

In a medium bowl, add the ketchup, vinegar,

hot sauce, mint, Worcestershire sauce,

and za’atar. Whisk well to combine. Use

imme diately, or tra nsfer to a n a ir tig ht

container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

LEBANON to TULSA