Golombki - Michael Fletcher

(This is a traditional Polish dish that I’ve hunted down over the years, It’s been slightly modernized, but still offers the great flavors of the original)

3 cloves garlic, chopped                    

3 tbsp olive oil
1 head cabbage                                  
2 lbs ground beef
1 bottle tomato juice or V8              
1 pkg sauerkraut
brown sugar to taste

Soften cabbage by immersing in boiling water.  Cover and simmer until leave are soft. (This doesn’t take too long)  Cool leaves well.  Meanwhile prepare meat with your choice of herbs, olive oil and garlic.  Take a small amount of beef and place in the top part of the cabbage leaf. (Make sure hard spines are trimmed away)  Roll cabbage around the beef and make sure its tucked in well.  Continue process until all the beef is used.  In a crockpot, place some tomato juice and sauerkraut at bottom.  Position rolled cabbages into one layer so they are tightly in place.  Add some more tomato juice and sauerkraut and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Place another row of cabbage rolls.  Continue process until pot is full or you run out of cabbage rolls.  Heat on low for 6-8 hours in crockpot.  Gently press the rolls down to keep them close together from time to time.  Once in a while stick a soon along the sides to ensure juices are moving all the way down .  Serve with rye bread.  (This can be done on the stove-top in a dutch oven , cooking for about 2 hours)