Gołąbki or Golumpki in the United States is a cabbage roll stuffed with a filling of beef, onions, and rice. It’s a traditional Polish dish and my friends Christina and Julie taught me their secret recipe.
Gołąbki are often served during the Christmas season and on festive occasions such as weddings
My Jewish grandmother was also from Poland and she used to make us cabbage blintzes with a sweet and sour sauce, but the meat filling didn’t have any rice.
I have taken the filling of Christina’s traditional Golumpki and served it with my grandmother’s sauce to make this dish my own.
It’s a little more complicated than my usual recipes but it’s well worth the extra effort.
Enjoy xxx Chef MM
Golumpki Stuffed Cabbage
Ingredients
FOR THE CABBAGE LEAVES
- 2 quarts/liters water
- 1 large green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 2 TBS beef stock powder
FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR TOMATO SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 28 oz /180 g tin of crushed tomatoes
- 5.5 oz / 150 ml tin of tomato puree
- 2 TBS white wine vinegar
- 1 TBS sugar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE MEAT FILLING
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 lbs/ 1.4 Kg ground beef
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 1 TBS parsley
- 1 TBS dill
- Coarse salt & black pepper
Instructions
FOR THE CABBAGE LEAVES
Using a paring knife, remove the center core of the cabbage. In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until outer leaves are bright green and tender.
Lift cabbage from water, and remove outer leaves. Return cabbage to boiling water, and repeat brief cooking and removal of leaves until all leaves are cooked. Set aside to cool.
Reserve 1 cup cabbage cooking water and mix with 2 TBS of beef stock powder.
FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR TOMATO SAUCE
Heat 2 TBS of oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato puree and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the vinegar and sugar; simmer, until the sauce thickens (about 7 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
FOR THE MEAT FILLING
Place a skillet over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until soft. Set aside.
Combine the ground meat in a large mixing bowl. Add the spices (parsley, dill, salt, and pepper). Add the egg, cooked rice, and the sautéed onion mixture. Toss the filling together with your hands to combine, season with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
ASSEMBLY
Place the cup or reserved cabbage water and 2 TBS of beef stock powder into the bottom of an oven-proof dish. Remove the hard vein from the surface of every cabbage leaf with a sharp knife.
Roll the meat into balls (about ½ cup in size). Place the meat in the center of the cabbage leaf. Fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling.
Place the cabbage rolls seam side down in the baking dish. Pout over the tomato sauce and cover tightly with foil.
Preheat the oven to 350 F /175 C.
Bake in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours till sauce is bubbling and meat is cooked.
SERVES 16
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