Golabki Recipes

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 - 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.

GOłąBKI - POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Core the cabbage: using a pairing knife, cut out the core of the cabbage, about 1 1/2-2 inches (4-5cm) deep. Make sure to cut it out wide enough so that the leaves are not attached to the core.
• Cook the cabbage: In a large pot, bring a large amount of water to a boil (enough to cover the cabbage). Add the cabbage, core-side down, cook for 10 minutes, then turn it over (it should be core-side up now) and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Peel the leaves off one by one using tongs while the cabbage is still in water, stack the leaves on a plate. Grab the cabbage with tongs by the stem, trying to not damage the leaves. The point here is not to cook the cabbage but to separate the leaves and soften them. They should not be completely soft (fully cooked) but only pliable. If the leaves are not separating try to separate them from the core with a knife (if you've cut out too little). If your cabbage leaves are still not soft enough to be easily pliable you can add them to the pot and cook them a little bit longer. Don't overcook the cabbage or the leaves will tear.
• You will need about 16 leaves.
• Alternatively: you can core the cabbage, wrap it in plastic foil then freeze it whole. After it has been thawed you can peel the leaves easily and use them right away. It will take overnight to freeze it then overnight + a couple of hours on the counter to thaw it.
• Cook the rice until almost cooked - about 1-2 minutes shorter than the usual cooking time. Drain.
• Cut the onions into cubes, press the garlic through a garlic press. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions, cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and spices, cook, stirring, for 20-30 seconds. Add into a large bowl.
• Add the meat and cooked rice, season with salt and pepper (I added about 1 1/3 Tbsp of fine sea salt and 1 ts of ground black pepper but I prefer that you add them to your taste). Stir until the mixture is combined.
• Cut out the thick part of the core.
• Place some of the filling in the middle of each leaf.
• Fold the right and left part of the leaf to the center.
• Roll up starting from the end facing towards you. Try to roll up the leaves tightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Place a couple of cabbage leaves in a 9x13-inch casserole dish (22x32xm). Place the golabki seam side-down in the dish.
• Pour in hot broth.
• Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil then bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 15-30 minutes or until the cabbage is soft and the meat cooked through (take out 1 roll and cut it in half to check). Keep an eye on them if they're not browning too much - if they are - you can cover them with aluminum foil. The baking time will depend on the cabbage, if they're not done, just bake them a little bit longer.
• Transfer the cabbage rolls to a plate, reserve the broth! Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer.
• Pour a couple of tablespoons of broth into a large pot. Place a couple of cabbage leaves at the bottom (you can use damaged leaves for that).
• Place stuffed cabbage rolls seam side-down in the pot. They should be very close to each other. Stack them in two layers. I'm putting the remaining cabbage between the rolls in the second layer so they are layered out more tightly.
• Pour in the HOT broth - there should be enough broth to cover the rolls. Cover the pot with a lid. Cook the cabbage rolls over low heat, they should be only simmering, for about 1 hour or until the cabbage is soft and the meat is cooked through (take out one cabbage roll and cut it in half to see if it's done).
• Transfer the cabbage rolls to a plate, reserve the broth! Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer.
• Add butter into a medium pot, cook until it's melted.
• Add the flour, whisk until combined then cook for a minute until the mixture is just lightly browned and smells nutty (whisk it constantly).
• Add the broth, tomato passata, and basil.
• Cook over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes until the sauce is thickened.
• Whisk in the cream then season with salt and pepper.
• Serve gołąbki with the tomato sauce.
• 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.

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.

GOłąBKI (POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil, and salt it .
• With the help of a sharp paring knife, remove the core from the cabbage by cutting around it. Remove and discard it.
• Carefully place the whole head of cabbage in the boiling water.
• Cover the pot and cook the head of cabbage for 3 minutes, or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. You'll need 18 leaves in total.
• When leaves are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to cut away the thick center stem from each leaf. Be careful not to cut all the way through.
• After retrieving 18 leaves, chop the remaining cabbage and place it in the bottom of a casserole dish with a lid or a Dutch oven .
• Heat up a large skillet, melt the butter, and add the chopped onion. Cook until tender and remove from the heat to let them cool off.
• Mix the cooled onion with the beef, pork, cooked rice, garlic, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Don't overmix or the meat will become tough.
• Flatten a cabbage leaf on a cutting board or work surface and place about 1/2 cup of the meat filling.
• Flip the right side of the leaf to the middle, then flip the left side.
• Flip the bottom of the leaf to obtain an envelope-shaped figure. The unstuffed part of the leaf will be triangular in shape.
• Tuck the leaf away from you to encase the meat and make a neat little roll.
• Repeat the process with all the leaves.
• Heat the oven to 350 F.
• Place the cabbage rolls, seam down, on top of the chopped cabbage in the casserole dish or Dutch oven. Season each layer with salt and pepper.
• Pour the beef stock over the rolls, cover, and place in the oven.
• Bake for 1 hour or until cabbage is tender and meat is cooked.
• Serve with a drizzle of sour cream , or alternatively, mix the pan juices with the sour cream and ladle it over the cabbage rolls. Enjoy.

POLISH GOLOBKI (GAWUMPKI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil cabbages until leaves are falling off. Remove leaves from water as they peel off and set aside.
• Melt margarine in a large skillet. Cook onions in margarine until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Mix cooked onions, ground beef, chicken with rice soup, rice, eggs, marjoram, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
• Take a cabbage leaf, lay it flat, and trim the thickest part towards the bottom of the leaf to make it easier to roll; repeat with all leaves. Take the darker outside leaves and line the bottom of the roasting pan with them.
• Scoop a portion of the beef meat mixture into a leaf and wrap the leaf around the mixture, enveloping the meat completely. Repeat until all of the beef mixture is used. Arrange the stuffed cabbage leaves into the roasting pan. Top with any remaining cabbage leaves. Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour 45 minutes. Remove aluminum foil, peel back the top layer of extra cabbage leaves, and pour golden mushroom soup over the stuffed cabbage leaves. Replace top cabbage leaves, return roasting pan to oven, and continue baking until the soup is hot, about 15 minutes.

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.

GOLOMBKI

Steps:

• Cook cabbage in boiling water just until outer leaves pull away easily from head. Set aside 10 large leaves for rolls. Refrigerate remaining cabbage for another use. Cut out the thick vein from the bottom of each leaf, making a V-shaped cut., Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cooked rice, salt and pepper., Place 1/3 cup beef mixture on a cabbage leaf; overlap cut ends of leaf. Fold in sides. Beginning from the cut end, roll up. Repeat. Place seam side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Combine soup and water; pour over top., Cover and bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until cabbage is tender.