Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
My father was born in Hungary and immigrated to the US in 1947. Growing up in New York during the 1960′s and ’70s my mother would prepared Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage every Christmas Eve. It became a family tradition that both my family and my sister’s family continue today.
My recipe varies slightly from my mothers. I used all beef instead of half beef and half pork and I also add tomatoes to give it more color and taste. Hope you like it.
This recipe is for only 1# of ground beef (4 servings) Adjust to accommodate the number of guests. I love having leftovers, so I rarely make less than a double portion.
1# lean ground beef
1 onion
1/2 cup raw long-grain rice
1/2 cup sour cream
Garlic- Salt- Pepper to taste
1 Large head of Cabbage (1 should be enough for double portion)
16oz can of sauerkraut (not drained)
16oz can of tomatoes pureed or sieved
1 bay leaf
Sour Cream
Rántás: Crisco, Flour, Garlic, Paprika
Part #1 Prep. (Recruit help to dice onions, mix meat or deal with the cabbage)
1: Combine beef, chopped onion, rice and 1/2 cup of sour cream, minced garlic, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl- Set aside
2: Tricky part: Core the cabbages under running water. It helps to plop them in boiling water and cook them slightly so they are easier to work with. The goal is to not cut yourself while coring and then remove about 12-15 leaves per cabbage. As large as possible.
3: Steam the cabbage leaves until limp (10mins?). Drain well.
4: Place about 3 or more tablespoons of filling in each leaf. Fold sides of leaf to center; roll- secure with wooden tooth picks if desired.
6: Shred some of the remaining cabbage
Part #2 Cook
1: Make the rántás: Use equal portions of Crisco and Flour. Melt crisco in a dutch oven. Add minced garlic and saute of a couple of minutes. Mix in flour over moderate heat. Don’t burn. Add paprika.
2: Add sauerkraut to bottom of dutch oven and shred cabbage: Add the prepared rolls.
3: Combine tomatoes with salt and pepper. Pour over the rolls. Add a bay leaf.
4: You can weigh the rolls down with a heavy plate if you like. Cover and bring to boil.
5: Reduce heat to low and cook for at least an hour until rice is cooked.
6: Serve with sour cream
