Stuffed Cabbage

The sauce used here is also available as a standalone recipe: Sweet-and-Sour Tomato Sauce (Stuffed Cabbage).

Ingredients

• 1 4 to 5 pound (1.81-2.27 kg) head green cabbage
• 2 pounds (910 g) ground minced meat
• 2 eggs, beaten together
• ½ cup (120 ml) long-grain rice, parboiled for 3 minutes
• 1 cup (240 ml) fresh bread crumbs
• 1 onion, grated on coarse side of a box grater
• 2¼ teaspoons (10 ml) salt
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) freshly grated black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely minced
• 1 28-ounce (790 g) can tomato pureed
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) raisins or currants
• 1/3 to ½ cup (80-120 ml) dark brown sugar
• the juice of 1½ to 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt

Method

1. To blanch the cabbage, select a pot that will hold the whole head of cabbage almost submerged in water. Fill it halfway with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
2. Meanwhile, with a small sharp knife, cut the core out of the cabbage. When the water is boiling, put the cabbage in the water. Using a two-tined kitchen fork, hold the cabbage in one hand and with the other peel off the outside leaf. Return the head to the water for another few seconds, then remove the next loose leaf. Continue until the leaves become too small to easily stuff. You should have 12 to 15 leaves that are big enough to use.
3. Shred the remaining cabbage and make a layer of it on the bottom of a large, wide casserole pan that will hold the cabbage rolls in one layer.
4. Cut the white central rib out of each cabbage leaf.
5. To make the meat filling, add all the ingredients together in a large bowl and mix very well.
6. Use ¼ to ½ cup (60-120 ml) of meat mixture for each leaf, depending on the size of the leaf. Place the meat along the uncut green end of the leaf, shaping it into a thick oblong patty. Roll the meat in the leaf, tucking in the sides of the leaf to completely enclose it. If you have a little extra leaf, cut it off. Place the stuffed leaves, seam-side down, packed fairly tightly, on top of the shredded cabbage.
7. To prepare the sauce, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato puree, brown sugar, lemon, salt, and raisins. Bring to a simmer and simmer 5 minutes.
8. Pour the prepared sauce over the rolls. Shake the casserole to encourage the sauce to seep to the bottom. Cover with foil if using a roasting pan, lasagna pan, or baking dish.
9. Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Bake for about 2 hours.
10. Serve hot. Stuffed cabbage reheats beautifully. Some would say it improves.