The cabbage rolls you’re likely most familiar with are a relic of Eastern European cuisine: filled with ground beef and rice and simmered for hours in tomato sauce. Louis has found cabbage rolls across several cuisines, however, and adopts a Far East approach here. Savoy cabbage leaves have distinct curly edges and a bumpy, web-like texture that make them perfect for stretching over the pork filling. If you can’t find broken rice, you can pulse long-grain rice in a food processor until finely chopped, or simply use long-grain rice instead.
How to Make It
To prepare the dressing, combine first 10 ingredients in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
To prepare the cabbage rolls, bring 8 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large stockpot. Add cabbage leaves; cook 3 minutes or until leaves are very tender. Drain; plunge leaves into a bowl filled with ice water. Let stand 2 minutes; drain and pat dry. Remove center rib of each leaf with a paring knife.
Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon oil, rice, and next 5 ingredients (through pork) in a large bowl. Divide and shape pork mixture into 12 oval-shaped meatballs, each about the width of a cabbage leaf. Place 1 cabbage leaf on a work surface with the stem end facing toward you. Place 1 meatball in center of leaf. Fold sides of leaf over filling; roll up. Place, seam side down, in an 11- x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Repeat procedure with remaining cabbage leaves and meatballs.
Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil, stock, and fish sauce in a glass measure; pour over cabbage rolls in dish. Cover with foil; bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, basting cabbage rolls with pan juices every 5 minutes. Arrange cabbage rolls on a platter; spoon remaining pan juices over top. Serve with dressing.