Golabki (Polish Cabbage Rolls)

Ingredients

• 1 headcabbage
• 2 tbspbutter
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 450 gground beef
• 225 gground pork
• 1 1/2 cupshort-grain rice (uncooked), uncooked
• 1 tspgarlic, minced
• 1 tspsalt
• black pepper, approx 1/4 tsp
• 3 canstomato purée, approx 3 × 400g cans; see note

Method

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge the whole cabbage and cook for 3 minutes until the outer leaves are pliable. Remove and cool for 10 minutes. Peel off 18 whole leaves, trimming out any thick central ribs. Finely chop the remaining cabbage and spread across the bottom of a large casserole dish.

2. 2

   Melt the butter in a skillet and cook the onion for 5–10 minutes until soft. Cool slightly.

3. 3

   Combine the sautéed onion, ground beef, ground pork, uncooked rice, garlic, 1 tsp salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.

4. 4

   Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Place about ½ cup of meat mixture onto a cabbage leaf. Roll up, tucking in the sides to form a secure parcel. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling. Arrange the rolls in a single layer over the chopped cabbage in the dish.

5. 5

   Thin the tomato purée with enough water to make a pourable sauce consistency and pour over the rolls. Cover tightly with foil.

6. 6

   Bake for 1 hour until the cabbage is completely tender and the meat and rice are cooked through.