Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

1) Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions.

2) Cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

3) Add the tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, raisins, salt, and pepper.

4) Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and set aside.

5) Put enough water (about 1 liter) into a large pot, add 1tbsp salt and boil it.

6) Put the cabbage leaves into this boiling water and boil them until they get tender (but not too much), when their color turns to yellow, (after about 3-4 minutes) take out them from water.

7) Peel off each leaf with tongs and set leaves aside.

8) In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, eggs, onion, breadcrumbs, rice, thyme, salt, and pepper.

9) Add 1 cup of the sauce to the meat mixture and mix lightly with a fork.

10) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

11) Place 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a large Dutch oven.

12) Remove the hard triangular rib from the base of each cabbage leaf with a small paring knife.

13) Place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of filling in an oval shape near the rib edge of each leaf and roll up toward the outer edge, tucking the sides in as you roll.

14) Place half the cabbage rolls, seam sides down, over the sauce.

15) Add more sauce and more cabbage rolls alternately until you ve placed all the cabbage rolls in the pot.

16) Pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls and cover the dish tightly with the lid and bake for 1 hour or until the meat is cooked and the rice is tender.

17) Serve hot.