Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Stuffed cabbage, in one form or another, is an old recipe and both my mother and Brian's mother make them. It's a bit of work which makes it a weekend project but the result is a nice big pot of food for the week. The rolls are nutritious and quite low in fat and calories. Serve over rice or even boiled potatoes and you have a healthy and comforting meal on a cold winter evening.

Rolls
1 head green cabbage
1 lb. lean ground sirloin
1 Egg
1 Onion, diced
1/4 Cup breadcrumbs
Large handful of parsley, chopped
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Sauce
5 oz. Tomato paste
1 Onion, diced
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Core the cabbage and boil in salted water, continually rotating until the leaves begin to separate. Drain, peel off the leaves, being careful not to tear or break them, and remove the veins.

In a bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, breadcrumbs, parsley and seasoning. Scoop approximately 1 oz. of the meat mixture into each cabbage leaf and roll shut.

Make the sauce by sautéing the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a large pot and adding the tomato paste. Thin out the mixture with the chicken stock, place the rolls in the pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 3 hours until the cabbage is completely tender.

Makes approximately 16 rolls.