Russian Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi Food

CABBAGE ROLLS "GOLUBTSI"

Steps:

• Freeze the cabbages 3 days before you need it. The night before defrost cabbage and keep them in the fridge until you are ready.
• Cook rice in plenty water the same way you would pasta until al dente for approximately 5 minutes after the water boils. It shouldn't be too soft. Drain and set aside.
• In a frying pan heat olive oil and cook onions over low heat for 7-10 minutes until tender.
• Grate carrots. In a large bowl combine beef, pork, parsley, onions, carrots, rice, salt and pepper.
• In a medium bowl whisk together stock, crushed tomatoes and creme fraiche, salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Place your head of cabbage on a cutting board, cut off the bottom and pull the leaves away from the stalk. Repeat with the second head of cabbage.
• Preheat your oven to 350F/180C.
• Clear your work space, so all ingredients are within reach. Take a cabbage leaf and cut the rib down, so it's not too thick. Put 2 tbsp of filling at the bottom of the wide part of a leaf (see picture above) and roll it like a burrito, tucking sides in. Your cabbage rolls will vary in size slightly depending on the size of cabbage leaves. You will have approximately 30-32 cabbage rolls.
• Pour a cup of the sauce on the bottom of your cast iron casserole or any other heavy bottom casserole and start stacking your cabbage rolls. Half way through add a couple of bay leaves and 1/3 of the sauce and continue stacking until all cabbage rolls are gone.
• Pour the remaining sauce over cabbage rolls, cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Then take the lid off and bake for 30 more minutes. Serve with additional sour cream or creme fraiche and fresh herbs like dill and parsley.

RUSSIAN CABBAGE ROLLS (GOLUBTSI)

Steps:

• Make 4 large slits around the core of the cabbage. Submerge cabbage stem side down in boiling water. Cook on medium heat until cabbage is bendable. Remove. cut large leaves in half, set aside. Combine all ingredients; mix well (Exclude the mustard and horseradish sauces if spice isn't your way of life). Place 1 tablespoon mixture in each leaf and roll up, set into a 12x7x2 inch baking pan or large casserole dish.
• Combine soup and water in pan, bring to a boil.
• Add remaining ingredients, cook over medium heat until slightly thickened.
• Pour sauce over rolls.
• Bake in a 375 oven for 1 hour or until light to medium brown and gravy has thickened.
• Cool slightly and serve with a tossed salad and dinner rolls.
• *Fresh ginger may be used to substitute for the powder

GOLUBTSY (RUSSIAN CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• Soak the prunes and raisins in lukewarm water for 30 minutes.
• Separate the cabbage leaves, blanch in a little warm water, drain and leave to cool.
• Mix the ground meats with the rice, salt, and pepper.
• Place 4 tbsp of the mixture on each cabbage leaf, roll up and tie with kitchen string. Fry each cabbage roll on all sides in the butter. Place the rolls in a flameproof dish. Remove string.
• Beat 1 cup of the sour cream with the flour, and add with the raisins and prunes to the pan juices, boil briefly, and pour over the rolls.
• Cover and simmer for 35 minutes.
• Mix remaining sour cream and dill. Serve with cabbage rolls.

UNCLE BILL'S RUSSIAN CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan, add 2 cups of rice and 4 cups of water, bring to boil; reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
• Fluff rice with a fork; set aside and let cool.
• Remove core from savoy cabbage using a long thin knife.
• Using a large microwave container with a lid, place cabbage with core side down and add 1/2 cup of water.
• Cover and microwave on HIGH (full power) for 10 minutes.
• Turn cabbage over and cook on HIGH (full power) for an additional 10 minutes.
• Cook each cabbage head separately.
• When cabbage is cooked, drain water and let cabbage cool slightly.
• Separate leaves carefully and set aside.
• Divide chopped onions in two.
• In a frying pan add margarine or butter, 1/2 of the onions and saute' until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes but do not brown.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together both cooked and uncooked rice, cooked and uncooked onions, ground beef, pork sausage, garlic cloves, dill weed, salt, black pepper and sugar and mix well until well blended.
• If cabbage leaves are too big, cut them in half along the rib.
• Spoon about 2 or 3 heaping teaspoons of mixture onto the wide end of the cabbage leaf.
• Bring the end of the cabbage leaf over the mixture, roll part way, then tuck or fold inward the ends to prevent the filling from falling out and continue to roll.
• Carefully place each cabbage roll in a single layer (with the end of the roll down), in a 9" x 13" oven-proof casserole dish.
• You will require 2- 9" x 13" casserole dishes.
• In a food processor or blender, process condensed soup and tomatoes until smooth.
• Pour tomato mixture over cabbage rolls until just covered.
• If the cabbage rolls are not covered with tomato mixture, add more condensed soup or water.
• Place 6 bay leaves on top of the sauce in each dish.
• Cover each dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 300 F for 2 hours.
• Maintain oven heat at this temperature so that the cabbage rolls do not burn.
• When cooked, remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.
• Remove foil and serve while still hot.
• These cabbage rolls freeze well.
• You may also make small or petite cabbage rolls by cutting the cabbage leaves smaller and reducing the amount of filling.