Inside-out Stuffed Cabbage Meatballs

The original recipe said to stuff some of the cabbage inside the meatballs, but that seemed like an unnecessary hassle, so here's the recipe with that step taken out and modified:



3 tablespoons butter
2 pounds green cabbage, shredded
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and veal)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
One 16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce




1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and 1 teaspoon caraway seeds; season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer cabbage to a bowl.


2. Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the meatloaf mix, breadcrumbs, egg, allspice and remaining 2 teaspoons caraway seeds. Form into meatballs, ping-pong ball or golf ball size, and place in skillet you cooked the cabbage in over med-high heat. Brown meatballs on all sides.



3. Add the cabbage back to the skillet; nestle the meatballs in the cabbage. Add 1 cup water to the to the skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover and cook, turning the meatballs once, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the meatballs on the cabbage, along with the cranberry sauce. (I also served with mashed potatoes)



Source: original recipe from Everyday with Rachael Ray October 2009 page 112