Asian Stuffed Cabbage

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine beef, mushrooms, rice, garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Remove 8 large outer leaves from cabbage (if leavesare less than 5 inches wide, overlap 2 leaves, side byside). With a rolling pin, roll each leaf until the stemend is pliable.

Dividing among leaves, mound meat mixturetoward upturned stem end. Starting from filled end,holding sides in as you work, tightly roll each leafinto a bundle.

Arrange cabbage rolls, seam-side down, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour 1 cup water over rolls;cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until aninstant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted into a roll, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve drizzled with juices and sprinkled with red pepper, if desired.