Stuffing cabbage leaves is an art in the Soviet Union, where each region and ethnic group claims its own expertise. One finds Central Asian cabbage stuffed with lamb, Baltic cabbage layered with bacon, and a sweet-and-sour cabbage attributed to Russian Jewish cookery. When cabbage leaves are stuffed and rolled into packets they are called golubtsy or ‘little doves’, as the rolls resemble the small birds at rest with wings folded under. Sometimes, though, the head of cabbage is left whole.

Ingredients

1 head of white cabbage (about 2 Ib/900 g)
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
¾ lb (340 g) minced beef (or half beef and half veal)
1½ oz (45 g) uncooked rice
1 large carrot, scraped and grated
1 large clove garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon crushed fennel seed
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1¼ teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (use it liberally)
1 large egg, beaten
2 lb (900 g) ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (or a 28 oz (790 g) tin, drained)
¼ pint (150 ml) fresh lemon juice
4 oz (120 g) Barbados sugar

Details

Serves: 4

 

Method

Core the cabbage. Blanch it in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and gently peel off the outer leaves. If the inner leaves are still too stiff to remove, return cabbage to the boiling water for another minute or so. Continue until all the leaves have been removed. Use the small inner leaves or any damaged ones to line the bottom and sides of a 5 pint (3 litre) casserole.

 

Prepare the onions: in a heavy-bottomed frying pan mix the 2 chopped onions with the olive oil. Pour over enough of the hot water from the cabbage pot to just cover the onions. Bring to the boil and simmer slowly, uncovered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the water has evaporated and the onions are golden. Stir occasionally to make sure the onions don’t stick to the pan.

 

While the onions are simmering, prepare the filling. In a large bowl thoroughly mix together the minced beef, raw rice, grated carrot, garlic, fennel seed, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Stir in the egg, blending well.

 

Now, starting with the largest leaves, take a cabbage leaf and place a mound of the filling along the centre of it. Tuck up the bottom edge of the leaf first, then roll and tuck until the filling is completely enclosed in the leaf. Continue until all the filling has been used. There will be about 12 rolls.

 

Place half of the rolls in the cabbage-lined pot in a single layer. Cover with half of the prepared onions, and then top with the remaining cabbage rolls and the rest of the onions.

 

In a medium saucepan heat the peeled tomatoes, pressing with the back of a spoon until they begin to give off juice. Stir in the lemon juice, sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to the boil. Pour over the cabbage rolls. The chunks of tomato will form a layer on top. Cover the pot and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours.

 

Note:- These cabbage rolls are even better reheated the second day.