Unstuffed Cabbage

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

Title: UNSTUFFED CABBAGE
Categories: Main dish, Vegetables, Beef, Casseroles, Crockpot
Yield: 8 servings

1 1/2 lb Lean ground beef
1/4 c Water
2 Eggs
2 tb Dried minced onions; divided
1/4 c Brown sugar; to taste
1 1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper
28 oz Whole peeled tomatoes
6 oz Tomato paste
1/2 c Vinegar; or lemon juice
6 Ginger snaps; for flavor
-or fresh or dried ginger
-to taste
1 md Head cabbage

1. In a large bowl, combine beef, water, eggs, rice, 2
tsp. dried minced onion, salt and pepper. Mix
thoroughly with you hands and form into golf
ball-sized balls. Set aside. (SEE NOTE I below for
stuffing cabbage)

2. In another large bowl, combine tomatoes, tomato
paste, rest of dried minced onions, vinegar and brown
sugar to taste. With a knife, cut the tomatoes into
chunks and stir it into the sauce until well mixed.
Add the ginger snaps (crumbled) and stir. Taste and
correct for flavor; should be sweet and sour. Set
aside.

3. Core the cabbage and shred. Place half of the
cabbage on the bottom of a shallow casserole which has
a tight-fitting lid. Cover the cabbage with half the
tomato mixture. Arrange the meat balls on top and
cover with remaining cabbage. Top with the remaining
tomato mixture. Cover tightly with foil and place the
lid on top. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour.

4. Reduce heat to 250 degrees and bake for two more
hours.

5. At This point, the casserole may be cooled, wrapped
and frozen. For the best taste, remove casserole from
the oven, cool and refrigerate overnight. The next
day, let the casserole come to room temperature and
then bake, uncovered, at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.
If the casserole is to be eaten the same day, remove
the lid for at least 45 minutes of the two-hour baking
time. This recipe makes six to eight services.

NOTE I: If you like, you can stuff the cabbage leaves
be sure to blanch them first BEFORE stuffing and layer
them making sure you have sauce on the bottom and
between each layer. Proceed to cook as described. It
is the GINGER SNAPS that make the difference.

NOTE II: I sometimes brown the meat (skip the meatball
making) and then add the other ingredients. It can
also be made in the Crockpot.

SOURCE: A Jewish Mother's Cookbook; Author, Elaine
Radis; published on disk by ONE COMMAND SOFTWARE, 1995.

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