Grandma shared her recipe for cabbage rolls. What matters most is what happens after they're wrapped
Cabbage rolls are a delicious and impressive dish. This classic Polish cuisine has seen numerous variations. Restaurants today offer codfish, vegetarian, and many other varieties. Of all the original flavors, however, none compare to those of our grandmother's cabbage rolls, which we remember from childhood.
Ingredients · Servings 3-4 people
- 1 medium head of cabbage
- ¾ kg of minced beef and pork meat
- 200 g rice (preferably short grain)
- 2 onions
- 1 egg
- 50 g tomato paste
- 100 ml heavy cream (30%)
- salt, pepper, sugar (to taste)
- oil (for frying)
Method · 2 h
- Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside to cool.
- Peel and finely chop the onion. Sauté in oil until translucent. Combine half the onion with the meat, cooked rice, and beaten egg in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the outer, damaged leaves from the cabbage. Cut out the core. Place the entire head in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Separate the largest leaves from the blanched cabbage and trim away the tough core.
- Place a small amount of filling in the center of each leaf. Fold the edges of the leaves over to form cabbage rolls.
- Line the bottom and sides of a large pot or deep frying pan with the remaining cabbage leaves. Place the cabbage rolls on top (making sure they don't unroll) and pour in water (up to ¾ of the height of the rolls). Cover the cabbage rolls with the cabbage leaves and place the pot over a low heat. Simmer for about 40 minutes.
- Drain the stock from the cabbage rolls. Combine with the tomato paste, cream, and the remaining onion sautéed in oil. Stir and season to taste with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls and simmer for another 15 minutes over low heat.
