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Learn how to prepare classic Stuffed Cabbage, a traditional Jewish Ashkenazi dish. Cabbage leaves are separated, boiled until soft, and stuffed with a savory meat and rice filling and served with your choice of three sweet and tart tomato sauces. Yields 15–20 cabbage rolls and meatballs.
2 heads cabbage
2 peppers (optional)
2 pounds chopped beef or turkey
4 eggs
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large onions, chopped and sautéed
48 ounces Gefen Tomato Juice
16 ounces Gefen Tomato Sauce
6 ounces Gefen Tomato Paste
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sugar
1 jar sauerkraut
3-4 bay leaves
48 ounces Gefen Tomato Juice
3 ounces Gefen Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
2 onions, sliced
48 ounces Gefen Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
Insert heads of cabbage into boiling water for 15-20 minutes.
Remove, cool slightly.
Remove leaves carefully, lifting each one separately and tearing off at bottom.
Combine ingredients for filling.
Place heaping tablespoonful of meat onto rib of each leaf.
Roll cabbage leaf along length, tuck in both ends and continue rolling.
Shred remaining cabbage.
Place shredded cabbage into 12-quart pot.
Add cabbage rolls.
Layer additional cabbage rolls and shredded cabbage.
Add ingredients for desired sauce (Sauce I version I or II) and cook for two hours.
Place water and oil into 12-quart pot.
Add onions and shredded cabbage.
Place cabbage rolls over shredded cabbage. Layer additional rolls and shredded cabbage.
Cook over low heat for two hours.
Add tomato sauce and sugar, cook for additional 30 minutes.
Photography by Tamara Friedman
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This was my first time making stuffed cabbage so I followed the recipe carefully. When I tasted it after it was cooked, I realized that it was missing spices. There is no call for any spices in the meat or sauce other than 1/2 tsp salt in the meat. I added some garlic powder, salt, pepper and onion powder into the sauce which helped, but its too late to do anything to the meat