Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Broth - joe-possum/recipes GitHub Wiki

Ingredients

Procedure

Freeze cabbage and thaw. This simplifies peeling leaves.

In order to roll the blanched cabbage leaves, the thick rib must be cut out of the center of each leaf. On the small leaves, the rib can simply be shaved down rather than cut out entirely. On large leaves, cut the rib out and keep cutting the leaf in half lengthwise. Each leaf should be about six inches long. Some will be shorter, and some will be longer. This is fine. Place the trimmings and any very large, dark leaves in the bottom of a medium-sized heavy pot.

Rinse the rice twice to remove some of the starch. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the uncooked rice with the melted butter, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and mint. Let this mixture sit for about 10 minutes for the rice to absorb the flavorings. Add the meat and mix with the rice mixture until combined.

Lay about a tablespoon of the stuffing on a cabbage leaf and spread the stuffing into a long row lengthwise along the leaf. Roll up the leaf around the meat without tucking the edges in. Stuff and roll each leaf, then place each roll in the prepared pan snugly against one another. Run each layer of rolls in opposite directions. Scatter the garlic cloves over the rolls throughout the pot. Place a small plate over the rolls to hold them down while they cook. Cover with the tomato juice. Add about 2 tablespoons of salt to the tomato juice. Make small meatballs with any leftover stuffing and place those in the pan.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover the pot,and cook the leaves until the rice and meat are fully cooked, about 45 minutes. Remove the cover and allow the rolls to rest and cool slightly before serving.

Notes