Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Name: Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Hungarian
Ingredients: 1 large head green cabbage (about 3 lb); 1 lb ground pork (or half pork, half beef); 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed; 1 medium onion, finely chopped and softened in 1 tbsp oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 large egg; 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp dried marjoram; 1 lb sauerkraut, rinsed and drained; 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes; 1 cup water or broth; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp sugar; 1 bay leaf; sour cream and chopped dill or parsley, to serve

Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a paprika-seasoned pork and rice filling, layered with sauerkraut and slow-simmered in a tomato sauce. Hungarian töltött káposzta, finished with sour cream.

Prep40 min

Cook1 hr 30 min

Total2 hr 10 min

Serves8

What you'll need

Enameled cast-iron Dutch ovenFor soups, stews and braises

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Mixing bowl setFor mixing and marinating

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8-inch chef's knifeFor all the chopping

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Ingredients

1 large head green cabbage (about 3 lb)

1 lb ground pork (or half pork, half beef)

3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed

1 medium onion, finely chopped and softened in 1 tbsp oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1 lb sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 cup water or broth

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp sugar

1 bay leaf

sour cream and chopped dill or parsley, to serve

Steps

Core the cabbage and lower it into a large pot of boiling salted water. As the outer leaves soften, peel them off with tongs, 2 to 3 minutes each. You need 16 good leaves. Shave down the thick rib on each.

Mix the pork, rice, cooled onion, garlic, egg, paprika, salt, pepper and marjoram.

Put about 1/4 cup filling near the stem end of each leaf, fold in the sides and roll up snugly.

Chop any leftover cabbage and spread it with half the sauerkraut in a Dutch oven. Arrange the rolls seam side down on top and cover with the remaining sauerkraut.

Stir the tomatoes, water, smoked paprika and sugar and pour over the rolls; tuck in the bay leaf. The rolls should be just covered; add water if needed.

Bring to a simmer, cover and cook very gently 1 1/2 hours (or bake at 325°F for 2 hours, or slow-cook on low 7 to 8 hours), until the rice is tender. Serve with the sauce, sour cream and herbs.

TipFreeze the whole cabbage overnight and thaw it; the leaves come off soft and pliable with no blanching needed.