Balandeliai

Balandeliai, or small pigeons, are Lithuanian cabbage rolls. Balandeliai are boiling cabbage leaves packed with a mixture of minced pig or beef, cooked rice, raw eggs, garlic, onions, and bell peppers. They were probably brought to Lithuania by the Tatars in the 14th or 15th century. The Balandeliai are brought to boil on the stove until soft, seasoned with salt and pepper and flavored with tomato juice. They're a great alternative for a heavy meal, especially when combined with sour cream.

Ingredients:

1 head cabbage, about 4 pounds,1 cup finely chopped onion,1 cup finely chopped celery,1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper,2 tablespoons unsalted butter,1 cup cooked white rice,1 1/2 pounds ground beef, lamb, or pork, or a combination,1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic,1 large egg, beaten,1 pinch marjoram,Salt, to taste,Freshly ground black pepper, to taste,1 cup tomato puree,1 cup beef stock,3 tablespoons sour cream

Instructions:

• Remove core from cabbage. Place whole head in a large pot filled with boiling salted water. Cover and cook 3 minutes, or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. You will need about 18 leaves.
• When leaves are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to cut away the thick center stem from each leaf, without cutting all the way through. Chop the remaining cabbage and place it in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large saucepan.
• Sauté chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper in butter in a large skillet until tender, and let cool.
• In a large bowl, mix cooked rice, cooled onion mixture, meat, garlic, egg, marjoram, and salt and pepper until well combined. Don't overmix or the meat will become tough.
• Place about 1/2 cup of meat on each cabbage leaf.
• Roll away from you to encase the meat.
• Flip the right side of the leaf to the middle, then flip the left side. You will have something that looks like an envelope.
  Once again, roll away from you to create a neat little roll.
• Place the cabbage rolls on top of the chopped cabbage in the Dutch oven, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper.
• Combine tomato puree with beef stock and pour over rolls. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer on the stovetop for 1 hour.
• Serve with pan juices and a drizzle of sour cream, or mix the pan juices with sour cream and ladle it over the cabbage rolls.