The secret of perfect cabbage rolls: double processing you didn’t know about

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head of cabbage
• 500 g minced meat (mixed pork and beef)
• 1 cup rice
• 1 large onion
• 1 large carrot
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1 can of tomato sauce (approx. 400 ml)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 glass of water or broth
• 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt, pepper to taste
• Sour cream (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preparing the cabbage: Carefully remove the leaves from the cabbage head. To make the leaves easier to remove, you can immerse the head of cabbage in boiling water for 5-7 minutes or freeze it overnight and then defrost.

Carefully cut off the thick veins on the leaves with a knife to make them more flexible.

2. Preparing the filling: Boil the rice until half cooked and cool. Finely chop the onion and grate the carrots on a coarse grater.

Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan, fry the onion until translucent, add the carrots and simmer for another 5 minutes.

In a deep bowl, mix the minced meat, boiled rice, half the fried onions and carrots, add chopped garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

3. Forming cabbage rolls: Place a little filling on each cabbage leaf and roll it up like an envelope, tucking the edges.

4. Stew on the stove: Heat a little oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan, add the remaining fried carrots and onions, add tomato paste and a little water or broth. Bring to a boil.

Place the cabbage rolls in a saucepan, pour tomato sauce and water or broth over them until they are covered with liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, over low heat for about 30 minutes.

5. Baking in the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Transfer the cabbage rolls along with the sauce into a deep baking dish. If there is not enough sauce, add some water or broth.

Cover the pan with foil and place in a preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the tops of the cabbage rolls are browned.

6. Serving: Serve the cabbage rolls hot, you can add sour cream to taste.

Bon appetit!

To be continued…