Stuffed cabbage rolls

Ingredients

Directions

In a medium bowl cover brown rice with hot water and soak for 3 hours.

Drain. In a 2-quart saucepan combine rice, 3 cups water, and 1½ t salt. Simmer covered for 40 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Add the dillseed, marjoram, and ½ t pepper. In a large skillet saute 1 ½ cups chopped onion in 3 T hot vegetable oil until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add paprika and garlic, continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in the rice mixture, eggs, bread crumbs, and parsley. Adjust seasonings to taste. Core cabbage and, in a large pot, blanch the cabbage cored-side-down in boiling salted water for 5 minutes or until it is softened. Drain. Remove 12 leaves and cut off one fourth of each leaf from the base. Arrange 1 leaf curved-side down on a square of dampened cheesecloth and place 3 T of rice mixture in the center. Wrap the leaf around the filling and twist the corners of the cheesecloth to form the leaf into a roll.

Continue making rolls with remaining filling. Chop remaining cabbage to make 3 cups and, in a large frypan, saute with 1 cup chopped onions and 2 T vegetable oil until soft. Add tomatoes, vermouth, broth, tomato paste, sugar, ½ t salt and ¼ t pepper. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings.

Transfer cabbage-tomato sauce mixture to a large baking dish.

Arrange the cabbage rolls close together in one layer on the sauce.

Spoon some of the mixture over the rolls. Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 ½ hours. Baste rolls 4 to 5 times during cooking. Let the dish cool.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove cheesecloth.

Heat in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes before serving.