stuffed cabbage (my family recipe for generations)

How To Make stuffed cabbage (my family recipe for generations)

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  salt, pepper, marjoram, ground allspice, and adobo. (when I am in a hurry, I use the meatloaf seasoning by Mc Cormic, very rarely, but you may look at the package what is in there and mimic the spices) {you won't need the liver, but it is our recipe and I wanted to mention it, just in case} we had a iron cast "manual meat grinder" at home, and ground the meat and liver with onions, and garlic in the grinder, but since I know most people don't make (or have time to make) things from the basics, like I do, or my family did, all you use is the ground beef and ground pork :) Cut out the core with a knife going around it not damaging the leafs. Put it in a large pot and cook it on high heat, until the water boils, then lower the heat, so it still bubbles very little, but doesn't spill over. Cover with a lid and leave for 10-15 min. It can not get too soft, otherwise the leaves won't keep the meat mixture in. After you put the cabbage in the pot and wait for it to boil, you make good of your time and start mixing the stuffing ingredients. You cut the onion as tiny as possible. Then use the garlic press for the 2 pieces of garlic. You may also grate it. Throw it all in a bowl with the meat. Break the eggs into the bowl (no shells, lol) Then soak the bread in milk, squeeze in both hands to rid of excess liquid and mix with the meat, onions, garlic, 1 cup of cooked rice, eggs, the seasoning, ( if you do use the meatloaf mix, you may not need salt or adobo) Once the cabbage is softer, but a little bit crunchy... You take it out and place it on the biggest bowl or deep plate you have. Do not throw away the cabbage juice... that's what you will use as a sauce to bake them in. Because you cut out the core, the leafs will come off the cabbage very nicely. Line a ceramic (deep, but wide) pot, the oval ones with the lid are the best, with the top cabbage leafs... the broken and worst ones.
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  don't make holes, and put 1 heaping tbl spoon of stuffing. Roll the leaf over the stuffing once, then fold in the sides, and roll the leaf over again to finish. You repeat rolling the leafs until you have no more meat left. You should always have some leafs left over. If you don't, your cabbage wasn't big enough. Next time, get a bigger one :P Put them gently one by one as you fold them in the lined pot, folded edge down. Pour the cabbage water gently over the golabkis to cover them at least half way, (leave some to dilute the tomato sauce, may also use a small can of tomato concentrate, if that is what you have) and use the remaining cabbage leafs to cover the golabkis. Pour your heinz tomato sauce into a big jar, or at least a pot twice the size of the heinz tomato sauce can, mix with some of the cabbage juice to blend well and dilute, and leave on the side. If you like a thicker sauce, you may add 2 tbsps of wondra flour to the tomato sauce mix, but mix it very well and once added to the pot stir it around gently so it is distributed with the water/sauce in the pot. Just a note: If you pour the tomatoes on the stuffed cabbage before it's cooked, it will not cook well and the leafs will get hard from the acid. Put your stuffed cabbage into the oven for 60 min. on 375 deg. (or if you prefer slow and steady bake on 350 for 2 hours) When 60 min. passes, pour all of the tomato sauce on top, cover them again with the lid and bake additional 20 min. to allow the sauce to absorb.
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  You may also use a big glass dish to bake them as long as it very big & deep and it has a lid. Take them out, let stand for 20 min. and voila... You made stuffed cabbage for dinner. Best served with potatoes or rye bread. PS.If you do not have a big, deep pot, use the aluminum turkey roaster and aluminum foil to cover it. If you have any questions I will be happy to help.
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