Unstuffed Sweet And Sour Cabbage Recipes

GRANDMA ELAINE'S UNSTUFFED SWEET & SOUR CABBAGE

Steps:

• Use Large Stock Pot and wooden spoon.
• Wash cabbage, cut off core. Cut cabbage in half horizontally. Take core out and cut.
• cabbage in 3 inch chunks.
• Cook sliced onions in oil until translucent.
• Add can of whole tomatoes, stir and chop slightly with spoon. Add tomato sauce, half of salt, half of pepper, and mix.
• Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stir occasionally so it doesn't burn.
• Then add cabbage and stir and push cabbage down into the sauce.
• Cover pot and continue to simmer approx 1 hour till you can mix cabbage around in the sauce.
• In large bowl mix ground beef with chopped onion, 1 1/2 level teaspoons salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 2 eggs, rice, and water. Mix well with hands.
• If too mushy, add a little more rice. Form golf ball size meat balls, and then store briefly in refrigerator to get firmer.
• Place meatballs on top of cabbage on sauce. Cover and simmer approx 15 minutes till meatballs feel firm.
• Then gently mix meat balls into sauce. Let pot simmer for approx 45 minutes, then add lemon. Taste for lemon taste, if not add more lemon.
• Then add raisins, honey, and then sugar a little at time to taste. Cook for another 15 minutes, then mix gently, uncover and remove from heat.
• Try not to eat right away so flavors can infuse. Tastes better when eaten the second day, but don't overheat. Only reheat what you will eat at that sitting.
• This freezes well.

UNSTUFFED SWEET-AND-SOUR CABBAGE

Steps:

• Place cabbage in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet with broth, 1 garlic clove (sliced), and a rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook, covered, turning cabbage occasionally, until very tender, about 45 minutes. (Add more broth or water if necessary.)
• Meanwhile, cook onion and remaining garlic in oil in a heavy medium pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in ground meats along with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes with their juice, cranberries, vinegar, and brown sugar and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with spoon, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt.
• Pour sauce into skillet with cabbage and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS (UNSTUFFED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Place the vegetable oil into a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the sliced onions, and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, using a spoon to slightly chop the whole tomatoes. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir the cabbage into the tomatoes. Cover, and simmer 1 hour until the cabbage is tender and mixes easily with the tomatoes.
• Place the ground beef, eggs, finely chopped onion, rice, water, additional 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix together with hands until thoroughly blended. Add additional rice if mixture is too moist. Form into golf ball-sized meatballs. Place meatballs on a plate, and refrigerate 20 minutes to firm.
• Place meatballs on the surface of the tomato mixture. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the meatballs are firm and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Gently stir the meatballs into the tomato mixture. Cover the pot and continue to simmer 45 minutes more. Stir in the lemon juice, and taste for seasoning, adding additional lemon juice if required. Stir in the raisins, and honey. Add the brown sugar, a little at a time, tasting after each addition. Cook mixture over medium heat 15 minutes more.

QUICK "UNSTUFFED" SWEET-AND-SOUR CABBAGE AND BEEF

Steps:

• In a 12-inch-wide, deep skillet or a Dutch oven, cook the ground beef and onion over medium heat, breaking up the meat with a spoon. When the meat has browned and the onion is tender, spoon off and discard any fat in the skillet.
• Add the tomato sauce, applesauce, water, vinegar, brown sugar, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the cabbage, which will wilt as it cooks and become more compact.
• Lower the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender. Stir in the cooked rice and heat a few minutes longer, until it is cooked through. This is most easily served in bowls.