Grandma's Stuffed Cabbage

Just in time for Passover, here's my grandma's hallowed stuffed cabbage recipe.  One bit of advice is to freeze the cabbage first.  When you are ready to go just defrost it and the leaves will peel off quite easily and be very pliable.

1 head of cabbage (or more if you need it)
1 lb. ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 beaten egg

Salt and pepper to taste (At one point like 20 years ago Grandpa decided he had high blood pressure so Grandma stopped cooking with salt.  After she passed away my mother took Grandpa and his outrageously large assortment of medications to the doctor to see if they could somehow reduce his daily pill intake.  I believe some tests revealed that he actually had low blood pressure.  And also that he was not diabetic, as he had thought.  So the guy went like 20 years without salt or sugar in his food for no good reason.  He always says he never really cared about food, and I can see why.  But it's also a shame, because my grandmother was a great cook.)

1/4 cup matzoh meal

1 large can Rokeach tomato and mushroom sauce (As one can't always find this, I think a can of plain tomato sauce would do provided it does not have any herbs and spices in it, in which case you'd also need to saute some sliced white mushrooms, which shouldn't be such a big deal.)

1/2 can water (using can above)

1 large minced white onion

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice (I squeeze fresh ones)

Sultana raisins (optional, the Darling hates raisins so I have to avoid them)

 

I'm pretty sure Grandma put the onion in the sauce only, but I actually saute the onion in a little canola oil first then put half in the sauce and half in the meat mixture.  One time I also considered putting garlic in there but got too nervous.  In the future I might use a little chicken stock instead of water, I think that would enhance the flavor.  Don't be mad, Grandma probably got into the habit of avoiding chicken stock because of the salt, in those pre-reduced sodium days! 

 

In a saucepan combine the tomato sauce, water, onion, brown sugar, lemon juice and raisins.  Bring to a boil then simmer for a while.

 

Combine the ground meat, egg, matzoh meal, half the onion, and some salt and pepper.  Place a sort of fat- sausage-shaped palmful of the mixture on the edge of each leaf and roll it up, folding the ends in.  Maybe it would be a good idea to hold each piece together with a toothpick.  Place all the pieces in an adequately sized saute pan and pour the sauce over them.  Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, basting and adding water as needed.  I have a vague recollection that Grandma's delight in preparing the stuffed cabbage was always tempered by the fact that they were always in danger of burning at any moment, so be careful.  I might prepare more sauce than you think you need and go low and slow for a little longer than 1 1/2 hours, just to be on the safe side.  Although they will never be as good as the ones Grandma made, I know you will enjoy them.