Töltött Káposzta — Stuffed Cabbage with Ground Pork & Smoked Ribs

Ingredients

• 16 whole sour cabbage or brined cabbage leaves
• 1½ lb Ground Pork
• ¾ cup uncooked rice
• 1 lb smoked pork ribs
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 1 lb sauerkraut, drained
• 3 tbsp lard or oil
• 3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Rinse the cabbage leaves and trim the thick ribs flat. If they are aggressively sour, soak them 10 minutes in cold water.
2. Cook the onions in the lard until soft, 8 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the paprika and caraway so they bloom without burning, then scrape half into a bowl.
3. Mix that half with the Ground Pork, rice, 1½ tsp salt, and pepper. Roll 2 tbsp of filling in each leaf, folding the sides in and tucking the ends so nothing escapes.
4. Spread half the sauerkraut in a deep pot, pack the rolls in, tuck the smoked ribs between them, and cover with the rest of the sauerkraut and the remaining onion mixture. Add water to just cover.
5. Simmer covered on the lowest heat for 2 hours. Do not stir; shake the pot instead. The rolls need to stay intact and the smoke needs time to get everywhere.
6. Whisk the flour into the sour cream with a ladle of hot liquid, stir it into the pot off the heat, and let it stand 15 minutes before serving. Better reheated tomorrow.