Ukrainian Beet Green "Cabbage" Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 0.5 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 0.25 cups milk
• 6 ounces ground beef
• 6 ounces ground pork
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 34 large whole beet green leaves , stems removed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2. 2

   Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion in hot butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, place bread crumbs into a large bowl. Pour milk over bread crumbs and let stand until all liquid has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked onion, ground beef, ground pork, egg, salt, and pepper until well combined.

4. 4

   Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with 2 large beet leaves; set aside 2 more leaves for the top. Place remaining beet leaves onto a flat work surface; add a heaping teaspoon meat mixture to the wide end (bottom) of each leaf. Working one at a time, roll leaf up around filling and place into the baking dish. Pour chicken broth over rolls, then place 2 reserved leaves over the top.

5. 5

   Bake in the preheated oven until beet leaves are tender and filling is cooked through, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).

6. 6

   Remove the dish from the oven. Drain liquid from the bottom of the baking dish into a small saucepan. Whisk cream and flour together in a small bowl until smooth; stir mixture gradually into pan juices. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat and cook gently until thickened, about 5 minutes; do not boil.

7. 7

   Place filled rolls into a serving dish and pour sauce over the top. Sprinkle with dill to serve.