Golombki (Stuffed Cabage)

  • 1 large head of cabbage (if large heads are not available use 2 or 3 smaller ones)
  • .5 pounds ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon. oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 c. cooked rice (any kind)
  • .5 bunch fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, cut in half
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise in half
  • 1 – 6 oz. can of tomato paste
  • .75 cups of heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoon. flour
  • 1 teaspoon. salt
  • .5 teaspoon pepper
This is a multi-step process.  It seems overwhelming reading it, but its not that hard...

Prepare Cabbage Leaves For Stuffing

  1. Wash the head of cabbage, with a sharp, thin knife cut a deep X in the core, place it on a deep dish in a microwave and cook it for about 8 minutes. or depending on the power of your microwave, till the top layer of leaves are soft and pliable, but not too soft or mushy.
  2. Remove all leaves that come off easily be cutting at the core with a knife.
  3. Put the head of cabbage back into the microwave and cook for additional 5 minutes (again time may vary) till top layer is soft enough for removal.
  4. Continue this procedure till you have removed almost all the leaves.
  5. Do not discard the center of the cabbage, or any leaves that get torn and damaged.
  6. Every so often cut off the core that remains after cutting off the leaves.
  7. Timing is difficult to indicate (I never timed it, I do it by sight and feel), but one thing to indicate that it’s done is the leaves loose that fresh cabbage stiffness and are quite pliable.
  8. While the rest of the cabbage is cooking, take each of the softened leaves and carefully slice off top layer of the main rib of the leaf (this is optional and if you’re not comfortable doing this – don’t, but it makes the leaf more workable when stuffing).
  9. Leave the leaves to cool and prepare the stuffing.

Prepare Stuffing

  1. In a skillet heat up the oil, then sauté the onion till limp.
  2. Mix together the meat, rice, onion, parsley, salt and pepper.
  3. Make sure all ingredients are mixed well.

Stuffing The Cabbage

  1. Place a leaf on a flat surface, stem end facing you.
  2. Place a full tablespoon (more or less depending on the size of the leaf) of stuffing in the center of the leaf.
  3. Fold over the stuffing the end of leaf facing you, then fold over that both sides, then roll over the entire thing over the remaining end.
  4. When wrapping the stuffing, try to do it tightly, it helps the golombki stay together better.
  5. Do all the leaves until all the stuffing is gone.
  6. If you have stuffing left over and no more leaves, unwrap some, add a bit more stuffing and rewrap, until all stuffing is gone.
  7. Ideally you should have several leaves left over as well as the center of the cabbage.

Cooking The Golombkis

  1. In a large pot or a deep Pyrex type dish (usually the one you cooked the cabbage head in) place some the leftover leaves on the bottom.
  2. Then place the golombki on their ends, fitting them all tightly (and I mean tightly), if any left place them flat on top.
  3. Take carrots and celery and fit them in between the golombkis.
  4. Place the remaining leaves on top of everything.
  5. Pour about 1 – 2 cups of water.
  6. Cook over medium heat, tightly covered for about 45 min on the stove, or in the Pyrex bake in an oven tightly covered for about 1 hour at 350.
  7. When done, remove the golombkis from liquid and place in a lasagna type dish or pan, laying them flat and tight.

Making The Gravy

  1. Place the liquid in a sauce pan.
  2. In a blender, blend the carrots and celery with a little bit of the liquid till pureed.
  3. Add to the liquid, but remove any strings from the celery if present.
  4. In a small bowl or a cup thin down the tomato paste by adding a little bit at a time of the cooking liquid and mixing well until it is fairly thinned down and pours easily.
  5. Add to the rest of the liquid.
  6. Add ½ teaspoon salt and a few dashes of pepper.
  7. Cook over low heat for about 5 to 10 minutes.
  8. Place the flour into a cup or small bowl, add a little bit of water to make a thick paste.
  9. Work it until it is quiet smooth.
  10. Slowly add the heavy cream to this paste and continue to blend it together.
  11. When ready, add couple of spoonfuls of the tomato liquid to the cream mixture and blend it in well (this prevents the cream from curdling when added to the acidic mixture – the tomato liquid).
  12. Slowly pour the cream mixture into the slowly cooking tomato liquid, stirring constantly.
  13. Bring slowly to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes.
Pour the gravy over the golombkis and you are ready to enjoy them.

Smacznego!
Ursula Gabryjelski
October 17th, 2011 in Recipes