Barley-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Pine Nuts and Currants

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup apple juice 
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black divided freshly ground
• 14.5 ounce canned tomatoes crushed undrained canned
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
• 3 cups pearl barley cooked
• 0.5 cup currants dried
• 0.8 cup feta cheese crumbled
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh chopped
• 1 large head cabbage green cored
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1.5 cups onion finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons pinenuts toasted
• 0.3 teaspoon salt divided

Equipment

• frying pan
• slow cooker

Directions

1. Steam cabbage head 8 minutes; cool slightly.
2. Remove 16 leaves from cabbage head; discard remaining cabbage.
3. Cut off raised portion of the center vein of each cabbage leaf (do not cut out vein); set trimmed cabbage leaves aside.
4. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
5. Add onion; cover and cook 6 minutes or until tender.
6. Remove from heat; stir in barley and next 4 ingredients (through parsley). Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
7. Place cabbage leaves on a flat surface; spoon about 1/3 cup barley mixture into center of each cabbage leaf. Fold in edges of leaves over barley mixture; roll up. Arrange cabbage rolls in bottom of a 5-quart electric slow cooker.
8. Combine the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, apple juice, vinegar, and tomatoes; pour evenly over cabbage rolls. Cover and cook on high 2 hours or until thoroughly heated.