Niño Envuelto Recipe (Rice & Beef Wrapped in Cabbage)

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 head of cabbage

  (pick one with thin outer layers)
• 1 clove garlic
• 8 basil leaves
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 small red onion
• 1 teaspoon salt

  (or to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)
• 1 pound minced beef

  [0.45 kg]
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 3 cups cooked white rice (arroz blanco per our recipe)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups large tomato

  peeled and seeded
• 2 cloves garlic

  crushed
• ¼ teaspoon oregano (dry, ground)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (white, granulated)
• 1 teaspoon salt

  (or to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)

  (or to taste)

Instructions

• 1 Separate the outermost leaves of the cabbage. Try not to break them. Soak in
  boiling-hot water cooking over low heat until they are tender but firm. Soak in
  ice cold water until it cools to room temperature.
• 2 Remove from the water, discard water and set aside the leaves.
• 3 Pulse garlic, basil, bell pepper, onion, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper in the
  food processor until you obtain a coarse paste.
• 4 Scoop this paste onto the ground beef and mix well.
• 5 Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and brown. Add
  water and the tomato sauce. Simmer covered until the meat is cooked through and
  the juices have evaporated (about 15 mins.).
• 6 Mix the rice with the meat and remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature
  and set aside.
• 7 Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over low heat.
  
  Add the tomatoes and garlic.
• 8 Cover and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked through, mash them with a potato
  masher. Add a teaspoon of oregano, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Set
  aside.
• 9 Preheat oven to 400 ºF [200 ºC]
• 10 Put 2 tablespoons of the rice and beef mixture in the center of one of the
  leaves. Wrap tightly (using more leaves if necessary) securing the bundle with a
  toothpick if necessary.
• 11 Place the pockets in a baking pan and cover with the sauce. Bake for 15 minutes.
• 12 Remove the toothpicks, if you used any, and serve immediately.

Nutrition Info