Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage

• 2 large heads green cabbage
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 2 to 3 onions, minced
• 2 - 3 garlic cloves, to taste, crushed/minced
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 pound lean ground pork
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 3 teaspoons Black Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 3 teaspoons Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Rosemary
• 1 teaspoon Dill
• 1 teaspoon Marjoram
• 1 teaspoon Sage
• 2 cans ragu (or substitute tomato puree or tomato juice)r
• 3 cans sauerkraut (twice rinsed - or thoroughly squeeze out all juice)
• Caraway seeds
• Peppercorns
• Bay leaves
• 1/2 cup sour cream

METHOD

Core cabbages so leaves may be easily removed during/after par-boiling. Fill large pot with water.  Put in vinegar and salt.  Bring to boil and carefully put in cabbage.  Peel outer leaves from cabbage, one at a time, as they soften in the water, and set aside to cool. Use only large outer leaves [approximately 20] and chop up the remainder for further use.

Trim the thick, stem portion of the cabbage leaves (and save).

Par-boil rice: add rice to water and bring to a boil. Set aside and let sit for about 5 minutes, or until rice is partially or slightly soft - do not cook rice entirely or it will become mushy within the stuffed cabbage.

Saute garlic and onions in oil until onion is transparent.

Combine all spices in one dish & thoroughly mix together.

Cook together ground beef and pork.  When cooked, put in large bowl.  Let cool slightly and, add cooked rice, and sauteed garlic and onions.  Mix thoroughly. Add spices a little at a time, tasting as you go.  Save what you don't need - there will be another time!

Blend ragu (or tomato puree/juice) with enough water to make a medium-thin sauce.  Set aside.

Add measured amounts of meat mixture to individual cabbage leaves, starting at the thicker end of the leaf. Roll leaves and, when rolled,tuck in the ends with the tip of your pinky finger.

(A second way is to start rolling the leaf, then fold sides inward over the roll and continue rolling. Stack rolls with loose end down. Some people use toothpicks to hold rolls together).

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cover bottom of pot with tomato mixture. Add a layer of sauerkraut and left-over chopped cabbage along with pared cabbage stems. Sprinkle with caraway seeds, peppercorns and a few bay leaves. Add layer of rolled cabbages. Pour a small amount of tomato sauce over top, throughout. Repeat until no more rolled cabbages are remaining. Pour remaining sauce over top.

Cover pot and bring to a slow boil, then lower heat and simmer for 2 hours. Add more tomato sauce as necessary.

Add sour cream 5 minutes prior to removing from stove.

NOTE: Do NOT increase heat after simmering, or re-heat rolls in a pot - it can burn bottom of pot.

Serves: 6

 

Contributor: Robert Kristoff

recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

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