Cabbage-Stuffed and Cabbage, Stuffed

Having apparently gone insane, I decided to make not only cabbage rolls and three types of pierogi this week. One large head of cabbage, four packs of wonton wrappers and countless hours of labour later, I was still no closer to answering the question of why somebody who doesn't even like making drop cookies because they take too much effort would even consider filling a freezer with miniature stuffed delicacies.

Because I love any and all types of dumplings, that's why. They're like presents for your mouth. Enjoy!

Cabbage Rolls
1 head Savoy cabbage
1 pound ground beef
1 small to medium onion, chopped small
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, shredded
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 parsnips, shredded
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 to 4 cups of tomato sauce, tomato juice or V8

Cut the core out of the cabbage but leave it whole. Place it, with the empty core area facing up, in a large bowl. Boil a small pot of water and pour the water over the cabbage and let it sit for ten minutes. (I've also heard that you should freeze the cabbage overnight, which I might try next time - I found the leaves difficult to pull off after the first few.

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Cook the onions until they are soft, add the carrot, celery and parsnip and saute them for a couple extra minutes, until they are also soft. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool a bit. Mix in the meat, rice and tomato paste and season again with salt and pepper.

Drain the head of cabbage. Pull off large leaves and cut out the large vein. Pat the leaves dry with towels. Roll about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling in each leaf (depending on the size of your leaf) and arrange in a large, wide pot. Pour in enough juice or sauce to cover the rolls. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, letting them simmer covered on the stove on low for about 45 minutes. Serve immediately. These also freeze very well.

Mushroom and Sauerkraut-stuffed Pierogi
Heat in a skillet over medium heat:
1 tbsp butter or oil
Add and cook, stirring, until soft:
1 cup onions, chopped
Add and cook until tender:
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
Remove to a bowl and mix in:
1 cup sauerkraut, drained

Let cool completely, then cut a package of wonton wrappers into 2 1/2 inch circles. Stuff with mushroom mixture. Either cook or freeze pierogi on a tray, not touching, then store in the freezer for later use.