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Cabbage Rolls

I've spent a lot of time tweaking this recipe into the form that you see today, and have probably never made it quite the same way twice. I still like to play around with other ingredients, and have a feeling that this is by no means the final version of this dish.

CABBAGE ROLLS

1 large head cabbage
2 lbs. ground chuck
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 small onion, diced
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole eggs
1 (14-1/2 oz.) can whole tomatoes with juice
1 (13-3/4 oz.) can tomato soup
2 (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 cups water


To prepare the cabbage leaves for stuffing, cut out the core of the cabbage and remove with a knife. In a half-filled pot of lightly salted water, place the whole head of cabbage core-side down and steam for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the heat and let cool, slowly. Several layers of the outer leaves should be soft enough to remove from the head.
When you've removed as many layers of leaves as you can, simply return the head of cabbage to the heat to soften more leaves.
To prepare the filling, mix the ground beef, raw rice, onion, garlic, eggs and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Hand-mix the ingredients make sure to gain an even consistency throughout the mixture.
Take a good-sized handful of the meat filling and set it in the hollow of a cabbage leaf. Fold over the ends and roll the leaf to seal the mixture inside. Place the stuffed cabbage leaf, seam-side down, in a large baking dish. Repeat the process until all the cabbage and filling have been used.
Combine the tomato soup, tomato sauce and water thoroughly. Pour over cabbage rolls and bake in a pre-heated 350º F. oven for about an hour, then check one of the thickest cabbage rolls to make sure the meat is cooked through. To serve, place a cabbage roll or two in a bowl and cover with the tomato sauce.

Tip: Another way to prepare the cabbage leaves is to remove the core and freeze the whole head. Simply peel the leaves away from the head of cabbage as it thaws. Steaming the leaves is recommended because the leaves are less brittle and easier to stuff when a bit limp from steaming.

Serves 6 to 8