🍊Amazing Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Amazing Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 2 hours Total time: 2 hours 30 mins Yield: 6 to 8 servings Tender leaves of cabbage stuffed and rolled with beef, garlic, onion and rice, simmered in a rich tomato sauce. ingredients: Cabbage Rolls 1 large head green cabbage, about 2 to 2¼ pounds 2 pounds ground beef 2 eggs (not necessary, you can leave them out, but they do make the meat fluffier) 1 medium onion, grated or minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper ½ cup raw long-grain white rice *

Tomato Sauce 2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 medium onion, chopped (medium dice) 2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce or one 32-ounce can whole tomatoes, pulsed in a food processor with juice until pureed. juice of one lemon or 2 tablespoons (or more to taste) apple cider vinegar ¼ to ¾ cup light brown sugar (Depending on amount of sweetness you prefer. Start with ¼ cup and taste sauce, adding if you like it sweeter. If you prefer it completely savory, add only 1 tablespoon brown sugar and the juice from half a lemon) Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup golden raisins

directions: 1. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. When the water comes to a boil, fill a large bowl with ice water. Cut out as much of the core as you can from the bottom of the cabbage, then drop the whole, cored head into the boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Once the leaves separate and are pliable, immediately remove and drop the blanched leaves that separated (or whole head if all the leaves did not separate) in the ice water.

2. aside about 16 of the largest leaves for stuffing and rolling, then chop some of the remaining leaves to make 1 cup of chopped cabbage and reserve. Mix the ground beef with the eggs, grated onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and rice. (If you use cooked rice, you can test the seasoning of the meat mixture to your liking by frying up or microwaving a piece of it and tasting, if desired). Divide this mixture into sixteen 2-ounce balls. Using moistened hands, form the balls into cylinders. Place a cylinder of filling near the bottom of a cabbage leaf.

3. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a heavy, nonreactive saucepan. Sauté the second onion until soft and golden. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, then add the reserved chopped cabbage and sauté briefly. Add the tomato sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine. Increase the heat until it comes to a boil, then lower it and simmer for 5 minutes. Add raisins now, if using. Line of the bottom of a 13 x 9 roasting pan or glass dish with a layer of sauce. Place cabbage rolls, seam side down, on top of sauce. Top cabbage rolls with remaining sauce!