Shapiro'S Stuffed Cabbage - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 heads cabbage
3 slices white bread
1/3 cup red wine
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup tomato juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 lemon, juice of
6 gingersnap cookies
1/2 cup golden raisin

Preparation

Core cabbage and blanch in a large pot of boiling water until leaves begin to loosen.
Soak bread in red wine.
Combine ground chuck, onion, celery and egg; mix in wet bread (bare hands are the best tools for this.
Add tomato juice, rice, salt and pepper.
Carefully peel off cabbage leaves and roll each around 1 to 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture, tucking in the sides to hold it together.
Repeat until all the beef is wrapped. There should be 18 to 20 packets.
Chop remaining cabbage leaves and reserve 4 cups.
Prepare sauce: In a large stock pot heat stewed tomatoes, puree, water, brown sugar and lemon juice. Crumble gingersnaps and stir into mixture.
Stir in raisins and chopped cabbage leaves. (Taste at this point and add more salt and pepper if necessary).
Carefully add stuffed cabbage packets to sauce.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Check occasionally and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato juice to sauce if it seems to be drying out.