Main Courses: Holopchen (stuffed cabbage rolls)
By Toby
Related to: Dubno (Town),
Makes 15-20 cabbage rolls, which will serve 5 or 6.
1 large head green cabbage
for sauce:
3 tbs cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large can tomato puree (ca.29oz)
2 cups water
1/8 cup vinegar
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup raisins
for filling:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup raw white rice
salt and pepper to taste
1. Place whole cabbage in large pot with about 2 inches of water. Bring
to boil and cover. As leaves soften, cut them off at the core and set
aside to cool. You should have about 15-20 leaves. Save the rest of the
cabbage. Remove the thick central part of each leaf by paring it away.
2. Combine ground beef, rice, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Form
into balls about the size of a plum. Place each ball at the thicker edge
of the cabbage leaf, fold over, fold sides in and continue to fold into
a little "package." If you have too much meat, make the rest
into meatballs.
3. In a large pot, saute onion in oil; add tomato puree, water, vinegar,
sugar, salt and raisins. Chop remaining cabbage and add to pot. Place
cabbage rolls in sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook on a very low flame
for about an hour.
