Cabbage Rolls Golabki Recipes

POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (GOLABKI) IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the cabbage by cutting out the tough middle bit (see photo above). Place the cabbage in a large pot filled with about 5-6 cm of water (cut end down), cover and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, covered, until the outer leaves start separating. Remove the cabbage from the pot (use 2 forks and a knife to help the leaves separate) and carefully place the loose leaves on a plate one by one. Put the cabbage back in the pot, continue simmering, then remove a few more leaves. Repeat this process until you've got about 20 leaves.
• Whilst the cabbage is simmering rinse the rice thoroughly, combine with 1 and ¼ cup of lightly salted water, cover and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, covered, until all the water has been absorbed. Place in a large bowl and set aside to cool completely.
• In a frying pan heat up the oil, add the onion and cook over a low heat for about 5-6 minutes until softened and golden. Combine with the rice and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Line a large casserole dish with cabbage leaves (the small ones or ones that have torn) and set aside.
• Using a sharp knife slice off the thick bit running along the length of the cabbage leaf on the outside (see photo). Be careful not to split the leaf. Do this for each leaf.
• Combine the rice and onion mixture (once cooled) with the meat, about 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt, add plenty of pepper and stir thoroughly.
• Make a good size oval shaped meatball and place in the leaf. To make a cabbage roll fold in the longer sides, then wrap the filling starting with the thick end of the leaf. Press the mixture in with your fingers as you are rolling and roll as tightly as possible. Place the cabbage rolls one by one in the casserole dish so they are nice and snug, very close together.
• Make the sauce by combining the hot stock with the passata and tomato paste and stirring thoroughly. Pour this mixture over the cabbage rolls. Cover with a sheet of non-stick paper cut to fit the shape of your dish (or small leaves if there are any left), then cover with a lid or tin foil and bake in the centre of the oven for 1.5 hours. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

GOLABKI (STUFFED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• For the sauce: Heat up tomatoes in a saucepan over medium-low heat until they begin to boil, then remove them from the heat. With an immersion blender, blend in cubed butter one piece at a time until the sauce is smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and a dash of cayenne if you like it a little spicy, but not enough to scare your Mom-Mom.
• For the cabbage: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Slice off the bottom of the cabbage head and insert the knife around the core to make a square of insertions into the core of the cabbage. (Do not completely core the cabbage.)
• When the pot is boiling gently, drop the cabbage head in and boil it until outer leaves are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the cabbage head and wait a minute for it to cool, then begin to gently peel the outer leaves away. When the leaves are no longer soft and they become hard to peel, place the cabbage head back into the boiling water for another 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat removing the leaves and then boiling the cabbage until you get down to the core or the leaves become too small. (It's a good idea to boil extra cabbage leaves so you have the extras just in case the leaves rip.)
• Saute onions with a dash of canola oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat until onions are translucent. Combine sauteed onions with cooked white rice and allow to cool.
• Combine ground beef, pork, veal, eggs, onion and rice mixture and salt and pepper in a large stainless steel bowl. Mix until well combined, then set aside. (We'll call this the filling from here out.)
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place 1/4 cup filling into the bottom of a cabbage leaf. Tuck the sides of the leaf in and roll the leaf up and over and make a small package. Place the finished roll seam-side down in a 12-by-10-inch baking pan that's at least 2 1/2 inches deep. Continue with the remaining leaves and filling and tuck them tightly into the baking pan. Pour 1 inch vegetable stock into the bottom of the baking pan. Cover the cabbage rolls with a sheet of parchment paper, then cover in foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
• Remove cabbage rolls from the oven and turn it down to 325 degrees F. Take off (but reserve) foil and parchment paper. Pour off the vegetable stock (no need to save it; it'll taste like cabbage water...yum). Top the drained cabbage leaves with just enough tomato sauce to coat the top of the cabbage and make a small pool under the rolls. Replace the parchment paper and foil and bake the cabbage rolls 45 minutes more.
• Serve the finished golabki by topping them with a ladle of the reserved sauce, a little fresh dill, and a dollop of sour cream.

CLASSIC GOłąBKI: POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE (PORK & RICE)

Steps:

• Wash the cabbage under running water. Even though the inside is usually clean (the outer leaves protect the inside), you might want to clean it anyway. Remove the tough outer leaves and discard them. Separate the inner leaves and wash them under running water.
• Cut out the stalk from the head.
• Grab a large cooking pot, large enough for the whole cabbage head to fit. Pour water in and bring it to boil. Add a solid pinch of salt and sugar and stir.
• Blanch the cabbage head in the boiling water, core side down. After a few minutes (2-3), the leaves should peel off easily. If not - cook it for a few more minutes.
• Remove cabbage to a baking tray, but keep the water in the pot.
• (Optional) To keep a more vibrant colour, you can place the leaves into ice water - that will slow down the cooking process.
• Set ten best leaves (largest, unbroken) aside. Using a paring knife, cut the main 'vein' out from each cabbage leaf and trim from the bottom with a knife.
• Peel an onion and dice it finely. Finely chop the garlic with a knife.
• Heat up a tablespoon or two of oil, add in chopped onion. When it turns golden, add chopped garlic and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked rice, a tablespoon marjoram, and cooled down onion/garlic.
• Season with salt and pepper, mix thoroughly - no special tools are necessary, you can use your hands. This mass will be our stuffing.
• Lay the cabbage leaf flat. Place about ¼-⅓ cup of meat mixture in the centre of a cabbage leaf. Gather the edges of the cabbage inwards and roll it tightly. Continue until you have 10 decent-sized rolls.
• Line the bottom of the large cooking pot with some of the remaining pre-cooked leaves - this prevents the dish from burning.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the pot, in layers, one on top of another. Cover with a layer of remaining leaves.
• Pour the stock in. Cook on a medium heat, covered for about 40-50 minutes until the cabbage is tender. Not every cabbage is the same, you'll have to check how soft it is as you go.
• When the cabbage rolls are nearly done, let's make the tomato sauce.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan. When melted, add in the flour. Whisk together and cook for a bit until it gains some colour.
• Pour in around a cup (250 ml) of the stock that got made from cooking the cabbage rolls. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
• Pour in 2 cups of tomato passata/purée and add a tablespoon of tomato paste. Bring to a boil yet again, then reduce the heat to a minimum.
• Season with salt and ground pepper. If the tomatoes are too acidic, add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavours.
• Continue cooking until you reach a desired thickness.
• Serve cooked cabbage rolls, with tomato sauce on top or on the side.
• Garnish with some freshly chopped dill or parsley leaves.

GOLABKI (STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place cabbage head into water, cover pot, and cook until cabbage leaves are slightly softened enough to remove from head, 3 minutes. Remove cabbage from pot and let cabbage sit until leaves are cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
• Remove 18 whole leaves from the cabbage head, cutting out any thick tough center ribs. Set whole leaves aside. Chop the remainder of the cabbage head and spread it in the bottom of a casserole dish.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion in hot butter until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool.
• Stir onion, beef, pork, rice, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place about 1/2 cup beef mixture on a cabbage leaf. Roll cabbage around beef mixture, tucking in sides to create an envelope around the meat. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat mixture. Place cabbage rolls in a layer atop the chopped cabbage in the casserole dish; season rolls with salt and black pepper.
• Whisk tomato soup, tomato juice, and ketchup together in a bowl. Pour tomato soup mixture over cabbage rolls and cover dish wish aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cabbage is tender and meat is cooked through, about 1 hour.

GOLABKI - POLISH CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Chop onion.
• Mince garlic.
• Saute garlic and onion in 2 T butter over medium heat until onions are caramelized. Remove from heat and let cool to near room temperature.
• Beat 2 eggs thoroughly with 2 T marjoram, 1 T thyme/sage, salt, and pepper.
• In bowl, add ground beef, pork (or veal), rice, onion, garlic, and eggs.
• Mix thoroughly with your hands.
• Cover and let rest in the fridge. (You can let it sit overnight, it will just let the flavors permeate more.).
• Core cabbage.
• Blanche cabbage leaves in boiling water, peeling them off as they become limp. (Alternatively, after coring the cabbage, you can put it in the freezer and after it's frozen, let it thaw and the leaves will be limp--you can just pull them off. **If you choose to freeze, freeze the cabbage the night before and keep in mind it will take a few hours for it to thaw**).
• Once you've separated all the leaves, take a paring knife and cut off any thick stems preventing the limp leaf from bending/rolling.
• Put about 2 T of meat filling in the center of each leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf in and roll it up into a little package. Put each golabki seam-down into a casserole dish. (At this point, if you like, you can freeze them and thaw them later. Once thawed, continue with the recipe steps below.).
• Once you've used up all the cabbage leaves or meat filling, take your cans of tomatoes and pour them over the golabki.
• Sprinkle the remaining teaspoons of marjoram into the tomato sauce before pouring it over the golabki and tomatoes.
• Bake covered at 350 for 2 hours.

POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (GOLABKI / GOLUMKIES / GOLUMPKIS)

Steps:

• Cut 12 large leaves off of cabbage head, cover leaves with boiling water, let stand until leaves are limp (2-3 minutes); then drain OR core cabbage head, and boil cabbage until leaves are tender enough to remove easily (10-15 minutes), very carefully remove 12 large leaves (You may have to peel the outer layers first and then return the cabbage to cook and continue peeling the leaves until all are done); then drain.
• Mix beef, pork, rice, egg, milk, seasonings, and vegetables.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put 1-4 tablespoons (depending on size of leaf) of meat mixture in center of each leaf; tuck in sides and roll to cover meat (I roll any leftover filling into meatballs and cook them with the cabbage rolls).
• Place, seam side down in baking dish.
• Mix tomato sauce with the sugar; pour over rolls.
• Cover and bake for 45-60 minutes.

GOLABKI (POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS) (VEGETARIAN VERSION)

Steps:

• Slice through the base of the cabbage and cook in lightly salted boiling water until tender.
• When the leaves are tender, peel off (You may have to peel the first layers first and then return the cabbage to cook and continue peeling the leaves until all are done).
• Boil the rice until just tender; drain and set aside.
• Fry the onions in the butter until softened.
• Dice the mushrooms and fry lightly with the onions, and the Worcestershire sauce, if using.
• Mix with the rice and season with salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and parsley.
• Place a tablespoonful of the rice mixture in each cabbage leaf; carefully, tuck in sides and roll to cover rice.
• Heat the oven to 400°F.
• Grease a roasting pan and place cabbage rolls seam side down in pan, packing them tightly together.
• Pour enough juice or stock over the top to cover them.
• Sprinkle lightly with remaining paprika.
• Cover and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove cover and bake for another 10 minutes to brown the cabbage lightly.

GOLABKI - CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Wrap cabbage in plastic wrap and place in freezer; allow to freeze overnight.
• Thaw before using; when thawed, core cabbage and carefully remove leaves, leaving them whole.
• Alternatively, you may core cabbage, and immerse it into boiling water, removing it every few minutes and carefully lifting away loosened leaves.
• Rinse sauerkraut and allow to drain.
• Brown ground pork, beef, onion, salt and pepper in a large skillet, and drain off any fat.
• Allow meat mixture to cool slightly, then stir in condensed tomato soup, egg, uncooked rice and paprika.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place one cabbage leaf flat, and towards the stem end, place some of the meat mixture on the leaf.
• The amount of meat you use will vary, depending on the leaf size; make sure it is not overstuffed (rice expands during cooking).
• Fold sides of cabbage leaf over meat and roll up loosely until meat mixture is sealed within the roll.
• Place the cabbage roll seam-side-down in a large casserole dish or lasagna pan.
• Continue rolling up cabbage until you run out of meat or leaves large enough to use.
• If you have leftover meat, spoon it into the cracks between the cabbage rolls.
• If you have leftover cabbage, chop it coarsely and layer over the top of the rolls.
• Spread sauerkraut evenly over the top of the cabbage rolls.
• Stir together tomato juice, with water/tomato juice/kraut juice (make sure your total is about 2 1/2 cups) along with the 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce.
• Pour this over the cabbage rolls.
• Sprinkle lightly with remaining paprika.
• Cover casserole (may use foil) and bake for one hour.
• Remove foil or other covering and bake 30 minutes more.