Grandma Gaspar's Cabbage Rolls

1. Put rice in bowl of water and soak 1 hour 2. combine meat and ingredients up to rice in bowl 3. add water as needed to thin mixture and put in fridge to rest 4. core cabbage,  remove outer leaves and line bottom of pot with them 5. blanch cabbage until stems are pliable 6. remove leaves from cabbage, one at a time, being careful not to rip them. putting cabbage under cold running water bottom up and directing water between one leaf and the rest of the head may help separate them. 7. make rolls by placing a small portion of meat in curve of stem end of leaf, rolling the stem end around it until it touches the leaf, tucking in the sides then finishing the roll toward the top like a burrito 8. place rolls in pot with seam side down forming circles and packing tightly 9. add 1 qt of tomatoes and water just to cover 10. simmer 45 - 60 min 11. in a skillet make blonde roux out of bacon grease and flour 12. add paprika and bloom 13. Add roux mixture to cabbage pot 14. Optional: add xanthan gum to thicken 15. add 2 cp boiling water to cabbage pot 16. boil 10 - 15 min