Grain and Italian Sausage in Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms, crushed (about 1/2 ounce)

1 1/4 cups uncooked bulgur

2 teaspoons butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

2/3 cup finely chopped celery

2/3 cup finely chopped carrot

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage

12 large Savoy cabbage leaves

2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1) Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in mushrooms; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes.

2) Uncover pan; bring mushroom mixture to a boil. Stir in bulgur; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Spoon bulgur mixture into a large bowl.

3) Heat butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic to pan; saute 7 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Add vegetables to bulgur mixture; cool slightly. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove casings from sausage. Crumble sausage into bulgur mixture; stir well to combine.

4) Add water to a large Dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches; set a large vegetable steamer in pan. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add cabbage leaves to steamer. Steam cabbage, covered, 6 minutes or until tender and pliable. Remove cabbage from steamer (do not drain water). Rinse cabbage with cold water; drain and pat dry.

5) Working with 1 cabbage leaf at a time, place 1/2 cup bulgur mixture in center of leaf. Fold in edges of leaf; roll up. Repeat procedure with the remaining mixture to form 12 cabbage rolls. Stack rolls evenly in steamer.

6) Return Dutch oven to medium-high heat; bring water to a boil. Steam rolls, covered, for about 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

7) Combine tomatoes, red wine vinegar, and sugar in saucepan; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in Parsley. Serve sauce with rolls.

*Makes 6 servings* (Serving size: 2 cabbage rolls and about 1/3 cup sauce.)