Rolled Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

This is a recipe that my mother made quite often. She would use the cabbages she raised in her garden, along with the tomatoes.  It was so good! Seasoned ground beef, rice and onions rolled in cabbage leaves.

Ingredients

12 cabbage leaves
1 c. brown rice, cooked
1/4 c. onion, chopped fine
1 egg
1/2 c. sauce (below recipe)
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. ground beef

Sauce

2 Tbs. butter
1/2 c. onion chopped fine
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a bubble and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

As the water heats and the sauce simmers, combine rice, onion, egg, 1/2 cup sauce mixture, salt and ground beef in a bowl.  Set aside.

Now it is time to assemble the cabbage rolls.  

Remove at least 15 leaves from the cabbage head. Working in batches, plunge the cabbage leaves in the boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; cool slightly. Trim the thick vein from the bottom of each cabbage leaf, making a V-shaped cut.

Lay a cabbage leaf on a cutting board. Cut a V-shaped notch with a small knife to remove the thick part from the bottom of each cabbage leaf.

Place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup hamburger/rice mixture in the center of a cabbage leaf.  Shape the mixture into a log. Roll the cabbage leaf around the meat mixture. Place about 1/4 cup beef mixture on each cabbage leaf. Pull together cut edges of leaf to overlap. Fold over filling, then fold in sides and roll up. Repeat with remaining meat and cabbage leaves. 

Pour half of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Place the cabbage rolls, seam side down, in the dish. Top with remaining sauce. Cover with foil or a lid.  Bake 60 to 90 minutes. The cabbage should be tender and the hamburger needs to be thoroughly cooked.