Hungarian-Style Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Dip the whole cabbage head into boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, then carefully peel off the softened outer leaves with tongs, returning the head to the water for another 1-2 minutes each time. Cool the removed leaves and trim the thick veins so they roll up easily.

Boil the rice in salted water for 8-10 minutes until half-cooked, drain in a colander and let cool.

Dice the smoked bacon into small cubes and fry in a dry skillet until the fat renders, 5 minutes. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and cook until the onion softens, another 5-6 minutes, then remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooled rice, the fried bacon-onion-garlic mixture, paprika, salt and pepper into a uniform filling.

Place 1.5-2 tbsp of filling on each cabbage leaf, fold in the side edges and roll into a loose bundle — the rice will swell during stewing, so don't roll too tightly.

Spread half the sauerkraut over the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot, arrange the cabbage rolls tightly on top seam-side down, cover with the remaining sauerkraut and the bay leaf.

Pour in water until the rolls are almost fully covered, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 90 minutes until the rice and meat are cooked through.

Serve the cabbage rolls together with the sauerkraut, generously topped with sour cream and a sprinkle of paprika.