A favorite Russian-Eastern European meal, stuffed cabbage is considered the ultimate comfort food! They are named halupki, golumpki and numerous other variations, depending on which eastern European country your family is from. The recipes are similar and include cabbage, beef, rice, onions and tomatoes. The ultimate in Russian comfort food is low carb too!
Instructions
1. Core as much of the cabbage possible before steaming. Do not remove the outer leaves. Steam the whole cabbage in a large pot with approximately three inches of water. As the leaves soften, remove them one at a time to a large platter. Steaming the whole cabbage should take about thirty minutes. Cabbage leaves should be softened but not mushy. When cabbage has cooled enough to handle, use a paring knife and pare the thick base of the cabbage leaf. Set aside the tough outer leaves of the cabbage.
2. Mix the ground beef, pork and veal with the minced onions and cooked rice. If you do not have a ? pound of ground veal, you can use another ? pound of ground pork. The mixture needs to be approximately 2 pounds of meat. It is not recommended to use ground beef alone as it will get tough. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and mix well. If the ham you will be using is salty, reduce the amount of salt in the meat mixture.
3. Place approximately ? cup of the meat mixture at the base of a leaf. Roll the mixture in the leaf twice, then fold in the sides of the leaves and continue rolling. Place the finished roll in the bottom of a large pot or slow cooker. Continue until all the cabbage and meat mixture have been used, except for the two tough outer leaves you've set aside.
4. Pour the tomatoes over the stuffed cabbage, spreading them evenly. Place ham or bacon slices on top of the stuffed cabbage and cover with the tough outer cabbage leaves you've set aside. Cover the cooker tightly.
5. Bring the cabbage rolls to a boil then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Simmer for approximately 2 hours, depending on the number of rolls you've made.
Tags: meat mixture, outer leaves, tough outer, comfort food, ground beef, leaves aside, pound ground