The Best Golabki Food

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.

GOLUMPKI - STUFFED POLISH CABBAGE (GOłąBKI)

Steps:

• Remove the stalk from the bottom of the cabbage head.
• Place the cabbage in a large pot filled with 12 cups of water. Cover and place over high heat.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Continue to cook until the cabbage leaves become bright green and pliable, about 3-5 minutes. The leaves should not be limp, they should hold their shape.
• Remove cabbage from water and place on a cutting board until it's cool enough to handle.
• In a large bowl combine ground beef, pork, onion, garlic, grated lemon peel, egg, and rice. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
• In a medium pot over medium heat add oil. Once simmering, stir in grated onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Then, add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Pour in crushed tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper and increase heat to high. Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and simmer tomatoes for 15 minutes.
• Once the cabbage has cooled, remove the leaves from the cabbage head.
• Using a paring knife, cut the thick stem or membrane from the back of each leaf. Be careful not to cut through the leaf.
• Move oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• You will need a 9x13-inch baking dish and a smaller, 2-quart baking dish for this recipe. Spread ¾ cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish and ½ cup sauce in the bottom of the 2-quart baking dish.
• Place 2 tablespoons of filling on the bottom half of a cabbage leaf.
• Fold up the bottom part of the cabbage leaf.
• Then, fold in the sides.
• Next, roll forward until the cabbage leaf completely covers the filling. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
• Place the stuffed cabbage leaves into prepared pans in neat rows. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the cabbage rolls.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking.
• Place pans on a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh dill (optional) and serve.

THE BEST GOLABKI

Steps:

• Separate leaves of your steamed or frozen/thawed cabbage and slice off the tough rib on the back of each leaf.
• Mix pork, onion, roll, rice, garlic, eggs, salt, marjoram and the 1 t.
• paprika in a large bowl until well blended-but dont turn the rice into mush.
• Place about 1/3 cup of meat mixture on each leaf and roll, tuck, roll into desired size/shape.
• Set aside and repeat.
• Shred remaining cabbage.
• Fry bacon until crisp and add half the shredded cabbage.
• Pour this into a deep casserole dish, place cabbage rolls on top and then remaining shredded cabbage.
• Pour chicken broth over top, cover and bake in a 375-degree oven for 1 hour.
• Drain off juice into a sauce pan and add the sour cream, flour and paprika.
• Whisk as you're heating to thicken, pour over the cabbage rolls and serve.
• Dust with cayenne if using.

GOLABKI, (POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Core cabbage and place in a large pot of boiling water, cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes until soft enough to pull off the leaves Repeat till all the large leaves are removed.
• Sauté onion in oil till transparent.
• In a large bowl, mix meat, onion, rice, egg, salt & pepper.
• Place heaping tablespoon of meat mixture on each leaf.
• Fold sides over filling while rolling leaf around filling.
• Chop remaining cabbage and place half in the bottom of a Dutch oven.
• Layer cabbage rolls then cover with remaining chopped cabbage.
• Combine tomato soup with water, stir till smooth, then pour over cabbage and rolls.
• Cover; bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

GOLABKI - POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Boil cabbage long enough that leaves separate without tearing.
• Select 10 to 12 of the largest leaves and trim off midribs so leaves become easy to roll.
• Soak bread in water and squeeze out.
• Combine with meat and mix thouroughly.
• Cook onion in butter until golden.
• Add with egg and salt and pepper to meat mixture.
• Divide into as many portions as there are cabbage leaves and spread evenly on leaves.
• Roll firmly, tucking edges so stuffing will not escape and secure with cotton thread, if desired.
• If there are not enough large leaves, use 2 small leaves.
• Slice some of the remaining cabbage and place in the bottom of a large pot.
• Arrange cabbage rolls tightly on top and add broth.
• Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.
• Arrange on hot platter, pour sauce over top and serve with hot boiled potatoes.
• Sauce: Make a roux with the flour and butter.
• Add tomato paste and broth from the stuffed cabbage and stir until smooth and bubbly.
• Add salt, pepper, sugar and paprika to taste and simmer for about 5 minutes.

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.