(Serves 6)

28 oz sauerkraut

1 large green cabbage

2 Tbsp oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 tsp minced garlic

1 lb ground pork

1/4 cup rice

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp sweet paprika

1/4 tsp marjoram

1 tsp salt

ground pepper

1 large can tomato puree

1/2 cup sour cream (+ more to taste)

3 Tbsp milk

1 heaping Tbsp flour

1. In a large pot, bring to boil enough salted water to cover the cabbage. Add the cabbage, turn heat to low and simmer ~8 minutes. Remove the cabbage and let it drain until cool enough to handle. Pull off 16 large unbroken leaves and lay them on paper towels to cool and drain further.

2. Wash the sauerkraut in cold water, then soak in cold water 10-20 minutes to reduce sourness (this is important since we don’t have real Hungarian sour cabbage in the US!). Squeeze dry and set aside.

3. Parboil the rice in water for 10 minutes, then drain the water off. In a skillet, saute onions over med-low heat and garlic in oil until onions become translucent. In a large mixing bowl, combine pork, rice, egg, paprika, marjoram, and the onion-garlic mixture, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix well.

4. Place 2 tablespoons of the stuffing in the center of one of the wilted cabbage leaves and, beginning with the thick end of the leaf, fold over the sides, then roll the whole leaf tightly, as you would a small bundle. Repeat with more leaves until all the stuffing has been used.

5. You may put the spare or largest unusable cabbage leaves on the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching. Spread the sauerkraut on the bottom of the pot and bury the cabbage rolls amongst it. Add the tomato puree and a couple of cans of water. Bring the liquid gently to a boil, then cover the pan and cook over simmering heat for 1-2 hours. Transfer the rolls from the casserole to a warm plate. Mix the sour cream, milk, flour, and a little of the cooked kraut, stir into the sauerkraut. Simmer another 5 minutes. Lift the kraut onto a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Arrange the rolls on the kraut. Serve with additional sour cream as desired.

*One of the secrets of good stuffed cabbage is to cook it long enough – more gentle cooking does not harm it, especially if you like tender cabbage. They tend to get better each time they’re reheated, so making them a day or two ahead of time is not undesirable. They can also freeze well.