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Makes 4 servings 1x
Prep | Cook
Carefully cut the core from the cabbage, leaving the head intact; peel away 12 outer leaves. (It’s okay if they tear a little.) Refrigerate the remaining cabbage for another use.
If the cabbage leaves have thick stems, cut them out.
Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil in the bottom of a large skillet. Line the pan with the cabbage leaves, overlapping them to get good coverage.
Peel and chop 2 cloves garlic; put them in a medium bowl.
Add 1 cup Israeli couscous, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the tomatoes and their juice, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the bowl. Stir to combine.
Spread the couscous mixture over the top of the cabbage; add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle bubble. Cover and cook until the cabbage and couscous are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.
Strip about 1/4 cup parsley leaves from their stems.
When the cabbage and couscous are tender, taste and adjust the seasoning of the filling. Drizzle the top with a little more olive oil and garnish with the parsley. To serve, cut portions with a spatula or spoon and scoop the cabbage out from the bottom.
— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast: Completely Revised and Updated
Unstuffed Cabbage with Spicy Sausage
A more filling meal. Before lining the skillet with the cabbage, brown 2 hot Italian sausage links or about 8 ounces (1 cup) loose sausage meat in the skillet, breaking them up as they cook. This will take 5 to 10 extra minutes. Transfer the meat to a large bowl and spoon off the fat, wipe out the skillet, and start from Step 1. In Step 2, add the garlic and remaining stuffing ingredients to the bowl with the cooked sausage and proceed.
Unstuffed Cabbage with Bulgur
I like to garnish this with a mixture of fresh mint and parsley and serve it with a dollop of yogurt. Substitute medium-grind bulgur for the couscous. You’ll probably need to cook the filling an extra 5 minutes in Step 3. Add a couple tablespoons water if necessary to keep the cabbage from burning.
Unstuffed Cabbage with Crumbled Chickpeas
Use either the main recipe or either of the proceeding variations. Instead of the couscous, rinse and drain 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, or use 3 1/2 cups cooked. In Step 2, mash them with a fork or potato masher in a large, flat-bottomed bowl with the garlic until the beans break up and crumble. Then add the remaining ingredients and finish the recipe.