Award-Winning Cabbage Rolls

This recipe was made by Janet Joel from Cabbagetown, Toronto. It's a little time consuming, but the judges chose it as a winner in the Cabbagetown festival.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 15 rolls

Ingredients

• 1  head cabbage
• 1  lb ground beef
• 1⁄2 cup rice
• 1  grated onion
• 1  onion, stuck with
• 3  cloves
• 1  egg
•  salt and pepper
• 2  cups water
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  lemon, juice of
• 2  tablespoons brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup raisins
• 8  gingersnaps, crushed

Directions

1. Cut the core out of the cabbage. Remove 12 large leaves. Steam the leaves until they are soft enough to roll. Trim off the heavy, centre ribs from the leaves.
2. Mix the meat, rice, grated onion, egg, salt and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon of the mixture at the end of each cabbage leaf. Roll the leaves up, tucking in the sides.
3. Place the cabbage rolls in a pot. Cover them with water. Add the other onion, bay leaf, lemon juice, brown sugar and tomato paste to the pot. Cover the pot and cook slowly for 1 hour. Stir gently.
4. Add the raisins and gingersnaps. Simmer for 15 minutes more.
5. Take the cabbage rolls out of the pot. Put them side by side in a baking pan. Pour the souse over them. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.
6. When the sauce is thick and the cabbage rolls are brown, they are ready. Happy eating!