While Juli is tucked away finishing her latest cookbook before next week’s deadline, I wanted to share one of my favorite cookbooks from last year. Russ Crandall, the author of The Ancestral Table and the creator of theblog thedomesticman.com, has an extraordinary health journey. In his twenties he faced a stroke, a diagnosis of a rare autoimmune condition more commonly seen in Asian women, and a major elective surgery that led to a period where he was clinically dead for several hours. Through these challenges he experimented with different dietary approaches and eventually saw notable improvements by changing how he ate. During that same decade he got married, became a father, launched a successful blog, wrote a cookbook, and served active duty in the Navy. His resilience and dedication are inspiring.
I’m a big fan of globally inspired recipes, and I discovered Russ’s blog when I was looking for creative ways to prepare flank steak (his Rouladen recipe was a winner). When I learned his cookbook was coming out, I preordered it and was not disappointed. The Ancestral Table features recipes influenced by cuisines from Japan, India, Vietnam, Lebanon, Korea, Russia, Greece and more, plus familiar American dishes like banana cream pie and New England clam chowder. The book balances intriguing international flavors with comforting classics. One standout for me was his teriyaki recipe — a perfect paleo-friendly take on a dish I used to eat often. Alongside recipes, Russ includes interesting historical and cultural tidbits that enrich each chapter. Unusually for many paleo cookbooks, he also embraces some dairy and “safe starches” like white rice and potatoes in select recipes, explaining his rationale and offering substitutions for those who prefer a stricter paleo approach (substitutions begin on page 275 of his book).
Russ recently released a companion e-book, The Safe Starch Cookbook, which contains 64 new recipes that are gluten-free and paleo-friendly. The book offers a substitution guide so you can tailor recipes to your personal dietary preferences. While a couple of recipes feature corn—an ingredient some paleo followers avoid—those are optional, and for occasional corn fans there are treats like arepas. Overall, the new book is thoughtful, well-curated, and useful for anyone who appreciates flexible, nutrient-dense cooking.
Back to the recipe at hand: stuffed cabbage rolls. These were one of my mother’s favorites to make, and when I tried Russ’s version I knew I had to share it. Daryl (a trusted taste-tester in my life) told me these are better than my mom’s — a compliment I take very seriously. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 2 cups warm cooked rice (substitute cauliflower rice if desired)
- 2 carrots, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 head green cabbage
- 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
Instructions
- Warm 2 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the ground beef to the pan with 1 tsp of the black pepper, the sea salt, dried dill, and mustard powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is mostly browned and no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
- Stir the cooked rice and shredded carrots into the beef mixture, then remove the skillet from the heat and set aside while you prepare the cabbage leaves.
- Trim the core from the cabbage. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Submerge the cabbage head and press it down with a wooden spoon; boil for about 5 minutes. Remove the cabbage carefully with two forks and strain briefly in a colander, keeping the water boiling. Peel off the softened outer leaves and set them aside. Return the cabbage head to the boiling water and repeat until you have enough pliable leaves for rolling; stop when the remaining leaves are too small or tough to use.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the remaining 4 tbsp of butter. Stir the tomato sauce into the butter and add the remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer gently while you assemble the rolls.
- Place a softened cabbage leaf on a cutting board and shave off any thick rib at the base so the leaf will roll more easily. Spoon a portion of filling onto the base end of the leaf, fold the sides in, and roll tightly toward the top to enclose the filling. One head of cabbage typically yields about 15–18 rolls.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Arrange the rolls in a casserole or baking dish and spoon the tomato sauce over them. Cover the dish and bake until the rolls are heated through and tender, about 40 minutes. Serve warm.
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You May Also Like:
Cabbage Pizza Rolls
Bacon & Sausage Braised Cabbage
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