Gołąbki (Stuffed Cabbage Recipe)

I use Grammarly's online proofreader because having bad grammar means nobody takes you seriously and being a Mom, how can I expect to correct my kid's spelling mistakes if I make my own?  Anyway, you should check Grammarly out, it makes spelling and fixing those mistakes a breeze~!

Ok, back to business!  I have fond memories of spending Saturday nights with my Babci (aka Grandmother).  Her parents immigrated from Poland and she was raised with their traditional values, culture, language and of course - food!  I enjoyed some of her delicious treats (hello Krusciki) and dishes.  The ones I remember most are pierogies and gołąbkis.  It seemed like these dishes were rotated frequently in my Dad's house growing up and also whenever I visited.  It wasn't until this past weekend that I truly appreciated the complexity of the dishes.  She made them with enjoyment and ease (and I dare say - never cursed her steaming hot head of cabbage while peeling back it's leaves to prepare the galumpki). 

After scoring some grass fed, organic, local ground beef this past weekend and feeling a need for comfort food, I decided to give her Galumpki Recipe a go. 
Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 1/2 quarts crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cabbage Rolls

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

2 pounds ground beef (or you can use a pound of beef, a pound of pork)

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups steamed rice (I use brown but I'm certain she used white)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large heads green cabbage, about 3 pounds each

Coat a saucepan with the oil and place over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for  2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar and simmer, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Place a skillet over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the tomato paste, parsley, and 1/2 cup of the prepared sweet and sour tomato sauce, mix and then take it off the heat. Combine the ground meat in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, cooked rice and the onion mixture. Toss the filling together with your hands to combine and season.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the large, damaged outer leaves from the cabbages and set aside. Cut out the cores of the cabbages with a sharp knife and carefully pull off all the rest of the leaves, keeping them whole and as undamaged as possible, discard smaller leaves or save for another recipe.  Blanch the cabbage leaves in the pot of boiling water for 3-5 minutes, or until pliable. Run the leaves under cool water then lay them out so you can assess just how many blankets you have to wrap up the filling. Next, carefully cut out the center vein from the leaves so they will be easier to roll up. Take the reserved big outer leaves and lay them on the bottom of a casserole pan, let part of the leaves hang out the sides of the pan. This insulation will prevent the cabbage rolls from burning on the bottom when baked. Use all the good looking leaves to make the cabbage rolls. Put about 1/2 cup of the meat filling in the center of the cabbage and starting at what was the stem-end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Place the cabbage rolls side by side in rows, seam-side down, in a large casserole pan.  Cover with any leftover large outer cabbage leaves (this will help in steaming them).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the remaining sweet tomato sauce over the cabbage. Fold the hanging leaves over the top to enclose and keep the moisture in. Drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 1 & 1/2 hour until the meat is cooked.

Happy Weekend My Friends and since I was born and raised in Massachusetts, I've gotta say GO PATS! 

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