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Beet leaf and Swiss Chard Rolls

I like to change up the wrapping of cabbage rolls by using beet leaves or Swiss chard leaves. The beet leaves give you a much smaller roll, and both of them give your rolls a darker look. Both these leaves are also thinner and also give you a slightly different flavour than cabbage. 

Yields approximately 50 small rolls
  • enough beet or Swiss chard leaves to make 50 rolls (using these leaves in place of cabbage will usually give you smaller rolls
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 large onion, finely grated
  • 1 1/2 cup cooked rice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp dry parsley
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
Sauce (for serving 4 guests, using 16-20 rolls)
  • 1 10 oz can tomato soup
  • 1 cup tomato juice or V8 juice
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Method:
  1. Wash and stem leaves. Cut away any large thick stem veins that run up the Swiss chard leaves. Beet leaves don't have the heavy vein and they are smaller and finer leaves.
  2. Place leaves in a shallow pan and add hot tape water. If using both kinds of leaves make a separate pan for each kind.
  3. Mix together all ingredients for meat filling.
  4. On a clean counter lay out washed leaves right side down. Place a mound of meat filling onto the end of each left and then roll up. Some of the leaves will be big enough to tuck under the sides, don't worry if the meat is a bit exposed at each end of the roll. 
  5. To bake immediately place rolls in a single layer in a pan, and continue with step #7.
  6. If freezing at this point, line a large sheet pan with parchment and lay rolls on the sheet. Freeze until very firm and then transfer frozen rolls to freezer bags and place in freezer immediately. When ready to use count out as many as you need and place in a single layer in low casserole dish. Add sauce and bake covered from frozen. Begin with baking frozen rolls at 325º for one hour. Turn oven up to 350º bake 1/2 hour longer. Them remove cover and bake 15 more minutes.
  7. (this is the step if baking immediately) Mix together sauce ingredients and pour over rolls. 
  8. Bake covered at 350º for 1 hour. Remove cover and bake another 30 minutes.
  9. Serve over mashed potatoes.

7 comments:

  1. Yum-MY!!!! This looks amazing! Haven't had cabbage rolls for ages and I like the twist on this recipe! Rhoda

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  2. Great idea! Also - wanted to say that I was walking to my university office in North Bay Ontario and there was a "10 000 Villages" stand selling Christmas gifts and YOUR BOOKS! I asked the student (who I know) to tell my husband to buy it for me but then decided to skip the middle man and bought "Celebrations" for myself (along with a few other things....). What a great surprise.

    Cat

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    Replies
    1. I think you mean a Ten Thousand Villages stand as there are no stores that use the number for Ten Thousand. There is no short form for it.....just spell it out!!!

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    2. Cat, that is just lovely! Thank you for sharing your story. We always love to hear where our books are purchased and your enthusiasm is just delightful. Merry Christmas!
      Blessings!

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  3. also the book is beautiful and already made me cry once with "Joy that seekest me through pain" in the celebrating life section.

    xo

    Cat

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  4. This looks really nice. I like the filling and sauce, might try to do this to stuffed eggplant. :)

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  5. I don't have any of those leaves this year but I have flat mustard leaves that are as big as tobacco. Might not be the right taste though.

    ReplyDelete

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