Turkey Napa Cabbage Rolls

Ground lean turkey, carrots, onions, and garlic reduced in a dry white wine. This is a recipe that allows you to enjoy some fine-tuned skill practicing with results you'll be proud of.

This was my first time using napa cabbage to stuff and it was quite easy and visually pleasing. This is a light summer dish and highly recommended with so many substitution possibilities.

My intention with this recipe was to omit the tomato-based sauce that is traditionally used. Being on an AIP diet, I wanted to keep this as inflammation-free as possible. However, with that said, I did have one ingredient that I ran with, the Better Than Bouillon, Roasted Chicken bouillon paste (contains whey, soy, and 1g of sugar). Shame on me, but I wasn't ready to pull this out of my recipe, I wanted this flavor!

If you need this to be completely AIP (autoimmune protocol diet), you can use a No-Salt Added Chicken Stock, just read the ingredients first. With this approach, you'll need to reduce the wine to ½ cup and use ½ cup of chicken stock. This will require more seasoning to taste, keep that in mind, and don't forget to taste your mixture once it has reduced.

This recipe requires the vegetables to be a consistent small dice for even cooking and easy stuffing, if you're not familiar with how to do this I'll cover it briefly. for you.

Carrots and onions can look challenging but don't fear, you just need a sharpened Chef's knife and a secured cutting board. With the garlic, you can get away with mincing if that's easier otherwise, go ahead and small dice.

For safety, hold anything you're cutting with fingers tucked under like a claw. Your pinky and thumb will help hold your product together as needed. This keeps fingers out of the way of the blade. Start with the front tip of the knife pointed downward and through the product first. Scoot your claw hand back as you make the cuts.

For Carrots

1. Wash, peel, and cut the carrot into 2-inch lengths.

2. Carefully cut lengthwise, the rounded edges off into a long rectangle.

3. Cut planks about ⅛ inch thick.

4. Lay 2-3 planks flat and cut into ⅛-inch thick matchsticks.

5. Line up matchsticks and cut them into ⅛-inch small dice.

For Onion

1. Wash and peel the outer skin layer.

2. Trim root end but leave intact and cut off the other end.

3. Slice onion in half from end to end, through the center axis.

4. Place flat side down, hold palm flat over top (rounded), root end away from you.

5. Carefully, cut horizontally starting closer to the cutting board up an approx. ⅛ inch height, all the way to just before the root end. Do not cut through, this will hold the onion together. Repeat rows carefully to the top while the palm holds the top of the onion in place.

6. Then, looking over the top of the onion, using the tip of the knife slice from right end to left, approx. ⅛ inch wide. See black lines in the image.

7. Next, with the root end under the left hand, place knife parallel with right edge of the onion, then make ⅛ inch crosswise cuts from the right inwards towards the root. See red lines in the image. Then the magic happens!

SERVING SIZE: 4-5 people

YIELD: 14-17 rolls

PREP TIME: 30 min.

COOK TIME: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Tbsp Olive oil

• 2 lbs. Ground turkey 93% lean

• 1 ea. Napa cabbage, large. Washed and leaves separated

• ¾ cup Yellow onion, small dice

• ¾ cup Carrot, small (I had rainbow carrots that needed to be used)

• 6 cloves Garlic, small dice

• 1 cup Dry white wine. I used Bower's Harbor Vineyard Pino Grigio (If AIP compliant, replace with ½ cup wine)

• 1 Tbsp Chicken bouillon, Better Than Bouillon Base. (If AIP compliant, replace with ½ cup Swanson No Salt Added Chicken Stock)

• ⅛ tsp White pepper, ground

• ½ Tbsp Fresh Tarragon, finely chopped, for garnish

• 1 ea. Lemon, zested, for garnish

• To taste Salt, Real Salt - Unrefined Mineral Salt (get 15% off, use coupon code COOKNKICKASS)

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepping the cabbage

1. Boil a large pot of water.

2. Set up a workflow station with a large ice bath (bowl with ice and water) on a work surface next to the pot of boiling water, then also a large baking sheet.

3. Submerge cabbage leaves in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Use tongs to move to ice bath, then lay flat on a baking sheet. Repeat for all and set aside.
   

Prepping the stuffing and production

1. Heat oil in a large pan over med-low heat.

2. Sweat carrots and onion for 2-3 minutes. Do not brown. Stir frequently.

3. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute.

4. Turn heat to med-high and add turkey, consistently breaking up with a wooden spatula until meat is mostly light grey, about 3-5 minutes. Do not brown.

5. Add wine and bouillon (for AIP, 1/2 cup wine and ½ cup chicken stock), stirring occasionally until the liquid is almost fully evaporated. Approximately 15-20 minutes.

6. Remove from heat and taste a small spoonful, then season as needed.

7. Preheat the oven to 400℉.

8. Set a large oven-safe pan to the side and lightly oil the bottom for the cabbage rolls.

9. Using a ¼ measuring cup, carefully place one scoopful or less as needed of turkey mixture onto the stem end of the napa leaf. Roll stem bottom over the mixture once and then tuck each side over the center and continue to roll up (like a burrito).

10. Arrange each roll in an oiled pan. Drizzle the top of the cabbage rolls lightly with avocado oil.

11. Bake for 10 minutes.

12. Remove from heat and lightly sprinkle the lemon zest and tarragon over the top.

13. Serve with a dijon or vinaigrette as desired to meet any dietary restrictions.

14. Cut down the vertical center of the roll and enjoy!

Enjoy my friends and please share your thoughts below on this recipe if you made any edits, we would appreciate it!