Dirty Rice Stuffed Cabbage

A friend of mine invited us over for dinner and made this. The leftovers barely made it home..I had to post it so I can make it. My DD inhaled it too. Kid pleaser is on top of my list. All I can really say about this is it was SWINGIN!!!!

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Sauce

• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
•  kosher salt
•  black pepper, freshly ground

• Filling

• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 lb pork sausage, casing removed
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 2  stalks celery, chopped
• 1  medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1⁄2 tablespoon basil
• 1⁄2 tablespoon  italian seasoning
•  kosher salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1  cup chicken broth
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2  cups cooked rice
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1  head cabbage, leaves separated

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. SAUCE:.
3. Saute the onion in oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, until softened.
4. Stir in the tomato sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper.
5. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
6. FILLING:.
7. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat.
8. Add the pork and brown.
9. Once browned, add the garlic, onion, celery, and green bell pepper.
10. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
11. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
12. Add the chicken broth, italian seasoning,basil, and cayenne.
13. Stir in the cooked rice and parsley, mixing thoroughly and letting the broth reduce until there is no moisture left in the pan.
14. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
15. In a large pot of boiling salted water, over medium heat, add the cabbage leaves and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
16. Drain and rinse with cold water.
17. Lay a cabbage leaf out on a flat surface and add 1/4 cup of the dirty rice into the center.
18. Fold both the sides into the center and the top and bottom over the center. Roll into a cylinder and repeat with the remaining leaves.
19. Pour a 1/2-inch layer of sauce into a 13 by 9-inch casserole dish.
20. Arrange the cabbage rolls, seam sides down, on top of the sauce.
21. Pour the remaining sauce over the stuffed cabbage and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
22. Remove from the oven and serve.