Stuffed Cabbage

Stuffed cabbage is a slow-maturing heavyweight of Hungarian cooking: the longer it cooks, the richer and more melded its flavour becomes.

1. Mix the rice, raw and without pre-cooking, into the minced pork, add the finely chopped onion and a crushed clove of garlic, then season it, and knead the filling together thoroughly.

2. Take the leaves of the sauerkraut one at a time, put some of the filling in the middle, fold in the edges, and roll them up into neat little parcels.

3. Spread the remaining sauerkraut over the bottom of a large pot, place the parcels tightly side by side on it, and scatter the remaining crushed garlic between them.

4. Pour in enough water just to cover it, then over a low, gentle simmer, covered, cook it for at least 1.5-2 hours – the long cooking is its secret.

5. When serving, offer a spoonful of sour cream alongside.

Tip: Reheated the next day it is even better, because the flavours come together completely over a night's rest.