2 sour (pickled) cabbages -homemade or order onfindbgfood.com
2 lbs ground pork
1 onion, chopped
1 c rice, medium grain or Arborio
5 tbs oil, canola, sunflower or lard
2 bay leaves
6 whole allspice berries
6 whole black peppercorns
1 tbs paprika
1 ts chili pepper flakes or more
freshly ground black pepper
Salt is not usually needed, the cabbage is salty enough to season the meal
Separate the leaves of the cabbage and trim the thick part of the steams. Prepare the filling: fry the onion and rice in three tablespoons of oil. Add the ground meat, season only with black pepper and mix well with a wooden spoon. You could sautee the meat mixture or you may not, up to you.
Make the rolls: place about 1/2 c of filling in the middle of the leaf with the part of the steam towards you. Fold both sides in over the meat and then loosely roll up the leaf. Place the rolls side by side in a large pot and layer them. Drop in the bay leaves, the allspice and the black peppercorns, sprinkle the paprika over. Pour in two or more tablespoons of oil. The more grease the better for this meal: you can layer in some fat or bacon. Pour in a cup of sour cabbage brine or water or mix half and half of each.
Place an inverted plate on top of the rolls and cover them with the lid. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 45 minutes. Add some more water or brine if needed so you can have a little sauce remaining. This meal could be prepared a day or two ahead as it gets better with time. To reheat you can place them in a single layer in a baking pan with the sauce and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 375° For until the rolls are browned slightly. Serves 6-8.
Red wine is obligatory!