Polly's Cabbage Rolls

 I love to watch movies and TV shows with some cooking tips and the Japanese TV series "Midnight Diner" is one of the show that inspires me to try something I haven't tried for a long time or something new.  I also like to discover the techniques that make the cooking more refined.  I normally bake my Cabbage Rolls, but this one is stewed.  The recipe on the TV didn't have rice in it and I should have just followed it, but I added basmatic rice.  I figure since they are going to be stewed, the liquid would cook the rice along.  I think it turned out quite tasty.  The technique I discovered is to make the rolling of cabbage easier when filled is to gently pound the stems of the boiled cabbage leaf flat before wrapping. Buy the largest Cabbage you want.  Core the Cabbage.  Gently open up each leaves.  Of course, if you are very patient, after coring the cabbage, you could dunk it in ice cold water to help opening it up.  Wash the cabbage leaves.

Blanch the leaves untilquite tender.

Do not throw away the cabbage liquid.  Transfer to ice water.

Take a leaf and pat the stem area down with wooden spoon or anything that will do the work.

Make your filling.

Add your spices.

Save half of the cabbage liquid.  Add 2 cans of chopped Tomatoes, a can of sauce.

Have some toothpicks ready to hold the roll closed.

Keep al the cabbage rolls down in the liquid.  Place a heavy heat proof plate in.  Cook long enough to make sure that rice is cooked.

Remove toothpicks before serving.

Serve with Parmesan.

Serve with Cheddar cheese - microwave it for 20 sec.