Patti Schobey | Victoria EC

Love cabbage rolls but hate the lengthy prep time? This hearty “deconstructed” casserole delivers the satisfaction of the long-simmered flavors with much less work.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 pounds ground beef
Salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
1 cup uncooked rice
3 cups V-8 Spicy Hot vegetable juice, or more to taste
1 medium head cabbage, sliced into 1/2-inch strips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet, then add the onion, peppers and celery. Sauté until the onions are lightly browned, then add the ground beef and cook until the meat is browned.

3. Remove from heat, and season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Add the rice and V-8, and stir to combine.

4. Place half the cabbage in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, cover with half the meat mixture, then repeat layers and cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 45 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.

Serves 8–10.