Sausage and Apple-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

SAUSAGE AND APPLE-STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Filled with white rice, sweet Italian sausage, and tart Granny Smith apples, this recipe for Sausage and Apple-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls is sure to become a family favorite.

Serves 4

1	small head (1 to 1 ½ pounds) green cabbage, cored
½	pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1	tablespoon olive oil
1	medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1	large Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
4	cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1	tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
4	cups cooked white rice, cooled
¼	cup golden raisins
½	cup apple juice
	Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2	cups prepared tomato sauce
	Sour cream, for garnish

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the cabbage, turning occasionally, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cabbage and immediately submerge in a bowl of iced water, chilling until easy to handle. Drain the cabbage and gently separate the leaves. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, stirring often, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and reserve. Return the skillet to the heat and pour in the oil. Add the onion and apple. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Then, toss in the garlic and rosemary. Continue to cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion and apple mixture with the cooked white rice, raisins, apple juice, and the cooked sausage. Stir until combined, and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Lay 8 large cabbage leaves out on a clean work surface (overlapping smaller leaves to form larger leaves, if necessary.) Top each leaf with about ¾ cup of the rice filling. Then, roll the filling up in the cabbage leaves, tucking in the ends as you roll. Set aside.

Shred any remaining cabbage leaves and place in the bottom of an 8½-by-11-inch baking dish. Spoon over 1 cup of tomato sauce, then arrange the prepared cabbage rolls on top, seam-side-down. Spoon over the remaining cup of tomato sauce. Bake in the preheated oven (covering with foil, if necessary, to prevent excess browning) until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Remove and cool slightly before serving with dollops of sour cream.