GOLABKI
(Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
(A Traditional Polish Dish)
Cut the core from a 3 lb. head of cabbage and remove wilted outer leaves, setting them aside for later use. Place the cabbage core-side-down into a pot of boiling water deep enough to cover the head, and cook for several minutes. Carefully remove the softened outer leaves and set aside. continue cooking and removing leaves until you get to the undersized ones which should also be reserved. Trim the thick center vein from the bottom of each leaf. (Another way is to pound it a bit with a meat mallet to soften it, taking care not to damage the leaf.)
Take the soften leaves, lay flat and place 3 heaped tablespoon of filling, shaped into a roll, at the center of each leaf, perpendicular to the stem. [See insurrections below for making rice and meat filling.] Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling then roll them up, starting at the stem end. (The rolls may be tied with string, but this isn't really necessary if you carefully place them seam-side down.
Line a roasting pan with half of the wilted, damaged, undersized or otherwise unused cabbage leaves (to prevent burning when the rolls are cooked). Place the cabbage rolls in the roaster side by side (seam-side down). The rolls may be stacked in layers, preferably no higher than two layers, but at the vary most three layers. Pour 2-3 cups of liquid over the rolls. This can be a broth or the remainder of the liquid that the cabbage was par-boiled in. Top with remaining unused leaves (to prevent scorching), cover the pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 2 hours. Switch off the oven and let stand for at least 30 minutes before serving.
A sauce to pour over the Golabki is made
from the liquid left in the roasting pan after cooking, 2 cups of
sour cream, and salt, pepper and paprika to taste.
RICE AND MEAT FILLING
Simmer finely chopped medium-sized onions in 3 T. butter until golden and tender. Combine with 2 cups slightly undercooked rice and 1 lb. ground meat (any combination of beef, pork or turkey works well). Mix in 1 egg and season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika. Combine ingredients well and fill cabbage leaves as noted above.
The ratio amount of meat to rice can be
adjusted to taste and/or cost requirements. There is also a
multitude of alternate combinations that can be used for filling,
including sausage meat only, groats and mushrooms, chicken,
cheese, ham, etc.