Hungarian-Style Stuffed Cabbage

By frankupko_52

dinner

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar
• 35 -ounce can whole peeled tomatoes in juice
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• For stuffed cabbage:
• 1 (3-pound) green cabbage
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup white rice, uncooked
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound pitted prunes (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• Juice of 1 lemon

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

1. Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onions and saute them over medium heat until they are soft and lightly colored, about 10 minutes. Add the brown sugar and stir with a wooded spoon, crushing any lumps against the pot. Break up the tomatoes by squeezing them between your fingers and add to the pot along with their juice and the tomato sauce. Cover the pot and simmer gently for about 1 hour.

2. In the meantime, prepare the cabbage and the filling. Cut the core out of the cabbage and discard. Place the cabbage in another large pot and pour boiling water into the pot to completely cover the cabbage. Cover the pot and let it sit for about 15 - 20 to soften the leaves.

3. To prepare the filling, combine the meat, chopped onion, eggs, rice, ketchup, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands. If the mixture seems too dense and heavy, add up to 1/2 cup warm water.

4. Remove the cabbage from the hot water. Remove the leaves individually without tearing them. If they are still stiff, put them back in the pot and bring the water to a boil until they are just soft enough to bend (2-3 minutes). Cut the outer leaves in half, removing the hard center rib; for the leaves further in, remove the center rib but leave the leaf whole otherwise.

5. Place about 1/4 cup (about 4 tablespoons) of the meat mixture into the center of each leaf. Fold the leaf so as to completely surround the filling. Place each stuffed cabbage into the tomato sauce. If there is any remaining meat, form meatballs and add them to the pot. Shred the cabbage leaves that are too small to stuff or haven't been used and add them to the pot. Add the prunes, raisins and lemon juice.

6. Cook over low heat, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Allow to sit about 10 minutes before serving. Freeze leftovers for future use.