European Recipes:Russian Recipes:Cabbage Rolls

Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v7.02

      Title: Pisni Holubts (Meatless Cabbage Rolls)
Categories: Vegetables, Christmas, Russian
   Servings: 10

       2 c Rice; Uncooked
       4 c Water
       1 md Head White Cabbage; 4 to 5
            -Lbs, Without Bruised Leaves
       2 lg Onions; Use 3 If You Like
            -Onions, Chopped
     1/4 lb Butter; 1 Stick
       1 c Mushroom Mix
       1 tb Salt
       1 ts Black Pepper; To Taste
      16 oz Canned Tomatoes
       1    Bouillon Cube; OR
       1 tb Maggi Sauce
            ;Tomato Juice Or Water As
            -Needed

   Combine the rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir
   gently, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Cool in a large bowl. Core
   the cabbage and place it in a large pot or Dutch oven half filled with
   water, cover, and bring to a boil. Cook about 2 minutes. As the outer
   leaves become translucent and soft, pry off and remove with a wooden
   spoon. Continue until the head is about 5 inches in diameter, remove and
   save for Cabbage Filling, (Recipe will be included in the next bunch).
   Trim the leaves by paring of the thick part of the rib. In a large
   skillet, saute the chopped onions in melted butter until lightly cooked.
   Add the onions and mushroom mix to the rice, stir gently but do NOT mash.
   Add salt and pepper to taste. Line the bottom of a baking dish with the
   outer cabage leaves. Place a large spoonful of the filling at the stem
   end of each leaf, fold over the sides and roll from the bottom to the
   top. Do NOT overstuff or the results will look like hand granades. The
   rice will expand when baked. Without crowding, arrange in neat layers in
   the baking dish, covering the last layer with a few cabbage leaves.
   Coarsely chop the tomatoes and pour over the rolls. Add the bouillon cube
   or Maggi seasoning, cover, and bake in a preheated 325 Degree F. oven for
   about 2 hours. Add tomato juice or water as needed, there should be 2 to
   3 inches of liquid at the bottom. Baked rolls will keep hot for about 1
   hour.

   Yield: About 2 dozen. To freeze before baking, place the rolls on an
   oiled baking sheet and freeze until rigid, then store in heavy plastic
   bags. Serve with mushroom gravy.