Cabbage Leaves with Beef Stuffing-Sour cream

Assemble these supplies:

• Medium-size head green cabbage, preferably Napa
• 2 medium-size onions (about 1 pound total weight) 1 pound ground round steak
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, or 11/2 tablespoons dried
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 stick plus 4 tablespoons butter
• Sour Cream with Chives and Dill (see following recipe)

Steps in preparation:

1. Fill large stockpot with water to within 3 inches of rim and bring to a boil over high heat. If using green cabbage,A blanch 15 minutes; if using Napa, blanch 5 minutes. Trans­fer cabbage to colander and drain.
2. Peel and mince onions. In small saucepan, cover onions with water, bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes. Pour through sieve and cool slightly.
3. In medium-size bowl, knead together ground round steak, blanched onions, oregano, allspice, tomato paste, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. One by one, gently peel leaves from cabbage. When you reach the core, reserve it. Using paring knife, trim core wedge from each leaf and reserve. Using chefs knife, roughly chop core and trimmings, and set aside.
5. Divide meat stuffing among cabbage leaves, placing 1 to 2 tablespoons stuffing in center of each leaf, and fold into neat "packages."
6. In large non-aluminum saucepan, melt butter over me­dium heat. Add chopped cabbage core and trimmings, and lay cabbage "packages" on top, folded side down. Season with salt to taste, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
7. Remove pan from heat and keep covered until ready to serve.
8. To serve on platter, first remove cabbage rolls to plate and then transfer bed of chopped cabbage to platter. Place "packages" on cabbage bed and surround with parslied potatoes (see following recipe). Dot "packages" with a little sour cream sauce (recipe following) and serve re­maining sauce on side.

Sour Cream with Chives and Dill

Assemble these supplies:

4 tablespoons minced fresh chives or scallions
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 pint sour cream

Steps in preparation:

In small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.