Traditional French Dishes
How to Make Atadillo, a Traditional French Recipe
Stuffed cabbage rolls filled with pork, onion, garlic, and herbs, cooked slowly in a tomato sauce and broth. A traditional French dish, juicy and comforting, perfect for sharing on chilly days.
This French preparation turns flexible cabbage leaves and a simple pork filling into tender, aromatic, and flavorful packages. Gentle cooking helps preserve their shape and concentrates the flavor of the sauce.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓8 large green cabbage leaves
- ✓500 g ground pork
- ✓1 medium onion
- ✓2 cloves of garlic
- ✓100 g breadcrumbs
- ✓1 egg
- ✓100 ml milk
- ✓1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- ✓1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ✓1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- ✓1 teaspoon salt
- ✓1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ✓2 tablespoons olive oil
- ✓400 ml chicken broth
- ✓150 g crushed tomatoes
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Prepare the leaves
Remove damaged outer leaves and trim part of the central stem without separating the leaves. Boil plenty of water with a teaspoon of salt and blanch the leaves two at a time for about two minutes. Drain and, if the midrib remains hard, trim it carefully without piercing the leaves.
- 02
Cool and drain
Let the soft leaves cool on a clean cloth or tray to drain and cool.
- 03
Cook the sofrito
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onion over medium heat for five minutes, until it is transparent. Add the garlic and cook for approximately one minute more. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
- 04
Mix the filling
In a large bowl, combine the pork, breadcrumbs, egg, and milk. Add the cooled onion and garlic, parsley, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, without overmixing.
- 05
Form the packages
Lay a leaf with the smooth side down and place about one-eighth of the filling in the center. Fold the sides towards the center and roll up from the bottom to close the package. Repeat with the eight leaves and tie each roll with kitchen twine.
- 06
Brown the rolls
Heat the other tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Place the packages with the seam side down and brown them gently for one minute on each side, handling them carefully.
- 07
Add sauce
Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. The liquid should reach about halfway up the rolls, without covering them completely.
- 08
Cook slowly
Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 35 or 40 minutes. Maintain a very gentle simmer to avoid opening the packages.
- 09
Check the cooking
Halfway through the cooking time, check the liquid level and add a small amount of hot water if the sauce has reduced too much. You can carefully turn the rolls. They will be ready when the cabbage is easily pierced with a fork and the center of the filling is fully cooked; with a thermometer, it should reach at least 71 °C.
- 10
Rest and untie
Turn off the heat and let rest for five minutes. Remove the twine from each roll with kitchen scissors, being careful not to cut the leaf. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt if necessary.
- 11
Serve with sauce
Serve two rolls per person with plenty of tomato sauce. You can accompany them with boiled potatoes, rustic bread, or a simple green salad.
- Blanch the leaves until they are flexible and trim the central midrib if it remains hard.
- Browning is optional, but it adds a deeper flavor.
- Cook the rolls over low heat to avoid opening them; do not move them unnecessarily.
- You can substitute cabbage with cabbage or kale, as long as the leaves are large and flexible.
- Chicken broth can be substituted with vegetable broth, preferably low in salt.
- Always remove the kitchen twine before serving.
- You can prepare the rolls in advance, cool them in their sauce, and reheat them gently the next day.
- They can be stored for up to three days in the refrigerator, in a closed container.
- To freeze them, do so after cooking and with the twine on; remove it after thawing and heating them gently.