Mini Cabbage Wraps

From Good Food Magazine, March 1986. Imaginative packaging turns a familiar favorite into more than meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 lbs  mixed ground pork or 1 1⁄4 lbs  ground veal or 1 1⁄4 lbs ground beef
• 1  small onion, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  fine dry breadcrumb
• 6  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley
• 2  teaspoons salt
•  additional salt, for potato
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  freshlly ground pepper
• 2  eggs
• 3  tablespoons tomato paste
• 2  large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 1-1/2 lbs.)
• 8 -10  large  savoy cabbage leaves, rinsed
• 1⁄4 cup milk
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•  vegetable oil
• 3  tablespoons olive oil or 3  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  small celery rib, coarsely chopped
• 1  small carrot, peeled, coarsely cjopped
• 1  small onion, coarsely chopped
• 4  medium mushrooms, rinsed, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 (14 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Crumble meat into bowl. Sprinkle with onion, bread crumbs, 4 T. parsley, 2 t. salt, and 1/2 t. pepper. Beat eggs and tomato paste until blended; pour over meat and mix gently just until blended.
2. Shape meat mixture into eight 3x2-inch loaves. Place loaves 3 inches apart in large baking pan; refrigerate covered with plastic wrap.
3. Heat large pot of salted water to boiling. Add potatoes and boil until tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and pat dry.
4. Cut off bottom of thick center rib of each cabbage leaf. Add leaves to boiling water. Stir gently to separate leaves, and blanch until bright green and softened, 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Place milk, butter, remaining parsley, and nutmeg in large bowl. Mash potatoes until smooth. Add to milk mixture; stir until blended. Spread potato mixture evenly over tops and sides of loaves. Wrap each loaf in a cabbage leaf, enclosing it completely. Brush loaves lightly with oil.
7. Cover baking pan with aluminum foil and bake loaves 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake, basting loaves with pan juices, until cabbage is lightly browned, about 20 minutes more.
8. While loaves are baking, make sauce: heat olive or vegetable oil in heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, carrot, onion, and mushrooms; saute until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme. Saute 1 minute. Reduce heat to low. Stir in tomatoes with liquid. Simmer uncovered until thickened, 10-15 minutes. Puree in blender or food processor until almost smooth. Season with remaining salt and pepper. (Sauce can be store in refrigerator up to 1 week or in freezer up to 3 months. Makes 2 cups of sauce.).
9. Remove baked loaves with slotted spatula to serving plates. Serve with sauce.