Sarmale (Stuffed Cabbage)

Ingredients

• •3/4 pound ground pork
• •3/4 pound ground beef
• •1/2 pound smoked sausage sliced in 1 inch chunks (optional)
• •2 eggs
• •2 teaspoons salt
• •1 tablespoon paprika
• •1/2 teaspoon pepper corns
• •3/4 pound rice
• •2 large Bay laurel leaves
• •2 white onions, chopped
• •3 tablespoons shortening (use corn, peanut oil or lard)
• •1 large head of cabbage
• •1 bottle or pack of sauerkraut (not canned), rinsed in cold water

Directions

1. 1Brown the chopped onion in shortening, and place in mixing bowl with ground meats, eggs, uncooked rice, paprika, salt. Mix well.
2. 2Take out the core of the cabbage. Leave head whole. Place in large pot of boiling water to wilt the outer leaves. You will be able to gently pull off whole cabbage leaves. Trim off thick center vein of cabbage leaves. You may want to shake excess water off.
3. 3Place 2 tablespoons of meat and rice mixture on a leaf (starting at the thick end) and roll it up and tuck in ends with your finger. Make as many as you can.
4. 4Arrange the rolls in cooking pot. Put a few chunks of sausage here and there between the rolls.
5. 5Cover the rolls two-thirds full of water, arrange rinsed sauerkraut on top, sprinkle over the pepper corns and the bay leaves on top, cover, and cook slowly for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the rice is tender.