Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Recipe

Directions:

1. Blanche the cabbage in a big pot of hot water so you can remove the leaves, or until they are soft enough to roll.
2. Cook the rice for 5-8 minutes only, then rinse to get the starch off and add it to the meat mixture.
3. Add to the meat all the spices and add the eggs, mix well.
4. Take a cabbage leaf and cut the thick stem part off and reserve.
5. Now take a leaf and put a small amount or what ever size of meat at the large stem end and roll, stuff the 2 edges back into the roll.
6. Put a layer of saurkraut, then the rolls, then saurkraut, then rolls you need to save room in the middle of the pot for the ham hock,
7. Then continue with the layers.
8. Once all the leaves are rolled cut up the remaining cabbage and put on the top.
9. Then mix you tomatoe paste with enough water to cover all of the rolls to the top.
10. Simmer on low til done, don't use high heat or you'll burn the bottom and it will make it taste burnt.
11. Good luck, I also freeze half the pot for later,everyone that's ever had it loves it. This recipe has been in my family forever and I think this is the first time I ever gave it to any one. Just make sure you taste the mixture as you go, most of us Hungarians do not measure, it's a pinch of this and a pinch of that.
12. You may also add caraway seeds to the kraut if desired.