I like this seafood stuffing far better than the usual meat stuffing: it's surprisingly light and refined. If you want your cabbage rolls to look as pretty as ours do, make sure to use Savoy cabbage, then trim the cabbage leaves so they lie flat. Right after you blanch the leaves, lay each leaf, rib side up, on a cutting board and slice off the thick center rib. By removing the excess, you'll be able to roll the cabbage leaves tighter and more uniform-looking.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE
FOR THE CABBAGE
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat the oven to 325°. For the sauce, melt the butter in a cast iron pot over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add the flour; whisking briskly until it is thoroughly incorporated. Let the mixture bubble for 1 minute, but don't let it darken. Add the shallot, thyme, and cayenne and continue to whisk as you stir in the seafood broth and wine. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until it thickens nicely. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and refrigerate.
Step 2
2. For the cabbage, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, and garlic and sweat until soft. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and mix in the shrimp, eggs, bread, milk, Tabasco, and celery salt. Carefully fold in the crabmeat, keeping the lumps intact. Cool the seafood filling while you blanch the cabbage leaves.
Step 3
3. Bring a big pot of salted water to boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby to cool the leaves as they blanch. Add the cabbage leaves one at a time to the boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Transfer to the ice water, then quickly remove from the water and drain flat on towels.
Step 4
4. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the seafood mixture into the center of each cabbage leaf and roll up burrito-style. Pour the seafood sauce into the bottom of the cleaned cast iron pot. Carefully place each cabbage roll, seam-side down, snugly together over the sauce. There should be enough sauce to rise halfway up the sides of the rolls. Bake, covered, for 20-25 minutes.
