Cabbage Rolls stuffed with ground beef

Cabbage rolls are part of the traditional cuisine of Central Europe and the Balkans.

Cabbage is easy to grow, and there instead of rice they would stuff them with millet. Adding ground beef was more extravagant, and became common in the west, and especially Vienna.

One finds them as specialties in the Southern Kitchen as well as in Canada. In Germany they are known mainly as Kohlrouladen, in Austria as Krautwickler.

Servings 12

4 lbs Ground beef                                                    

From 2 whole heads of white cabbage remove leaves and save

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped                   

1 whole French bread loaf, soaked and drained    

4 tablespoons butter                                                 

24 large leaves of cabbage

4 whole eggs                                                              

1 tablespoon basil

2 tablespoons salt                                                     

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon marjoram                                             

2 tablespoons garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce                       

1 tablespoon thyme

Soak the French bread in cold water.

Sauté the onions with butter in a hot skillet, until the onions are light brown. Add garlic. Sauté for a few minutes. Drain and squeeze the French bread until dry, and mix with the seasoning in a mixing bowl. Check for seasoning and keep meat mixture cool in the refrigerator. While preparing the cabbage leaves.

Blanch cabbage leaves in salted boiling water until they become soft. Drain and chill the leaves in shaved ice. Trim the coarse central vein from each cabbage leaf, and dry leaves with a towel. Lay leaves flat on board. Divide meat mixture into 24 portions(3 ½ to 4 oz each) and fill the cabbage leaves with the meat filling and roll them up into small roulades.

Set the cabbage rolls seam down, into a baking dish and add 2 cups of chicken stock. Cover the casserole  and cook the cabbage rolls in oven for 45 minutes to an hour at 450 degrees, until their juices run clear, when pierced with a fork.

Transfer cabbage rolls into another casserole, and top with tomato sauce till the cabbage rolls are covered. Cover the casserole with a lid and return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve two cabbage rolls on a bed of sauerkraut, and top with tomato sauce.

Tomato sauce

Quantity: 1 quart:

2 lbs tomatoes (4 large), red and ripe, chopped                                          

2 oz. butter

2 oz. flour                                                                                            

 ½ medium onion, peeled and chopped

2 cups chicken stock                                                                             

1 bay leaf

4 black pepper corns                                                                            

1 tablespoon salt

¾ cup tomato paste                                                                              

2 tablespoons sugar

½ cinnamon stick                                                                                 

4 cloves

½ lemon rind                                                                                         

½ lemon for juice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Heat butter in medium skillet, add chopped onion and sauté  until onions are translucent, add the flour and make a light roux. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir the tomatoes into the roux.

Braise the tomatoes and the roux for 3 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock and add the rest of the ingredients.

Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer, and check for seasoning.