Cabbage rolls with tilapia in the oven
6 servings
120 minutes
Cabbage rolls with tilapia in the oven are a refined take on a traditional Russian dish, harmoniously combining marine tenderness and vegetable freshness. Cabbage leaves, carefully prepared and filled with airy fish filling with aromatic couscous, herbs, and spices, are baked in broth to retain juiciness and rich flavor. Baking gives the dish a delicate texture while carrots and leeks add natural sweetness and depth of flavor. The history of cabbage rolls goes back centuries when different peoples adapted the filling based on ingredient availability. In this version, fish fillet brings lightness and delicacy. Serving with a refreshing sour cream sauce with horseradish makes the dish complete and harmonious. Cabbage rolls with tilapia embody home comfort and exquisite gastronomic pleasure.
1
Place the cabbage whole in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 5–7 minutes.
- White cabbage: 1 piece
2
Remove the cabbage from the pot, let it cool a bit, and separate the top leaves. Set the cabbage aside; it can be used later to make soup, for example.
3
Cut the thick, coarse veins at the base of the leaves, trying not to create holes. Then pound each leaf to an even thickness.
4
Pour a glass of hot broth over the couscous, cover it, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- Couscous: 2 tablespoons
- Fish broth: 1 l
5
Chop the onion into small cubes. Heat olive oil in a pan, add the onion and fry for 4-5 minutes without letting it brown. Let it cool.
- Onion: 0.5 head
- Olive oil: 1 tablespoon
6
Cut the fillet into small cubes.
- Tilapia fillet: 900 g
7
Place the fish fillet in a bowl, add the soaked couscous, chopped parsley and tarragon leaves, onion, 3 yolks, 1 teaspoon of salt (or a bit more to taste), and pepper. Mix well.
- Tilapia fillet: 900 g
- Couscous: 2 tablespoons
- Parsley: 1 bunch
- Tarragon: 6 stems
- Onion: 0.5 head
- Chicken egg: 3 pieces
- Salt: to taste
- Ground white pepper: to taste
8
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks (do not overbeat to stiff peaks).
9
Gently fold in a little beaten egg whites into the fish mixture first, then the rest, trying to keep their fluffiness.
10
Wrap the resulting filling in cabbage leaves; it should yield twelve to fourteen cabbage rolls.
11
Heat the remaining broth and pour it into a suitable baking dish to a depth of two fingers. Place the cabbage rolls seam side down in the dish. Cut the carrot and leek (only the white part) into thin strips and lay them on top of the cabbage rolls. Pour over with the remaining heated broth.
- Fish broth: 1 l
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Leek: 1 piece
12
Cover the dish with foil and bake the cabbage rolls in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
13
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Mix sour cream with horseradish and chopped green onions, and salt to taste.
- Sour cream: 100 g
- Grated horseradish: 25 g
- Green onions: 20 g
- Salt: to taste
14
Serve cabbage rolls with sour cream sauce.