Total Time: 3.5 hours
Servings: 5
Ingredients
1 head of cabbage
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup uncooked rice
1 red onion, minced
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 garlic head, peeled and minced
2 pork hocks
1 red onion, sliced
2 roma tomatoes, sliced
1 garlic head, just peeled
1 lime or lemon, cut in half
1 garlic head, peeled and minced
1 tbsp salt
8 tbsp lime juice
Steps
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil
2. Wash the cabbage and with a knife, cut around the core of the cabbage as much as the knife allows you, but without cutting it through
3. Immerse the cabbage in the water with the core facing up
4. Cabbage leaves will start to loosen apart. Use tongs to gently remove leaves from cabbage and boiling water. After the first leaf is separated, you'll need to wait a couple of minutes in between each leave for these to be ready for removal. If leaves stop loosening easily, remove cabbage from water, repeat cuts around the core and immerse in water again
5. Place 20 loosen leafs on a tray and set aside. Don't discard extra leaves, you'll use them later
6. In the meantime, mix beef, rice, minced onions, chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 6 tbsp lime juice and 1/2 minced garlic head
7. Take each cabbage leaf and cut the upper and harder part of the main vein, so you can roll it easily
8. Lay the leaf on a flat surface and place about 1 to 2 tbsp's (according to the size of the leaf) of the beef mix about one inch from the edge of the harder part of the leave
9. Tuck in the sides of the leaves and roll. Set the rolls aside until you get about a total of 20 rolls
10. Line the bottom of a large pot with the unused leaves and veins
11. Clean hocks with half lime or lemon and place over cabbage leaves
12. Place one layer of about 7 rolls (with the opening facing down,) on top of the unused cabbage and hocks
13. Cover with 1/3 of the peeled garlic, sliced tomatoes and sliced onions
14. Repeat with another 2 layers of rolls topped with another 2 layers of 1/3 of the garlic, sliced tomatoes and sliced onions
15. To keep the rolls submerged while cooking, cover the rolls with a lid smaller than the circumference of the pot
16. Pour enough water to cover the rolls, through the space in between the pot and the lid
17. Place a couple of weights on the lid to increase pressure and keep the rolls from moving while cooking. (You can use a couple of stones folded in aluminum foil)
18. Add more water while cooking, if they start to dry out
19. Cook on medium heat for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. After 2 hours, mix 8 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp salt, 1 garlic head (minced) and 1 cup of water. Remove the lid and pour this mix over the rolls. Cover again and cook for 30 more minutes
20. When the rolls are cooked, remove from fire and take off the weights and lid
21. Let the rolls stand for a few minutes and serve
18 medium-size potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
