Golubtsi

Ingredients

• 2 small heads cabbage
• 1/2 cup (110g) rice, any type
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 lb (450g) ground beef (about 5% fat)
• 1 lb (450g) ground pork (about 5% fat)
• 1/4 cup (25g) parsley, chopped
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1 cup (250ml) chicken or beef stock
• 1 cup (250ml) sour cream or creme fraiche, full fat
• 2 cups (500ml) crushed tomatoes or passata
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Steps

1. Freeze cabbages 3 days ahead; defrost the night before using. This makes leaves easy to separate.
2. Cook rice in plenty of water until al dente (about 5 minutes after boiling). Drain and set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and cook onions over low heat for 7–10 minutes until tender.
4. Grate carrots. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, parsley, onions, carrots, rice, salt, and pepper.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together stock, crushed tomatoes, sour cream, salt, and pepper for the sauce. Set aside.
6. Cut the bottom off each cabbage and separate the leaves. Trim the thick rib on each leaf.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
8. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the wide end of each cabbage leaf and roll up like a burrito, tucking in the sides. Repeat for all leaves (about 30–32 rolls).
9. Pour 1 cup of sauce into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Arrange half the cabbage rolls in the dish, add bay leaves and 1/3 of the sauce, then add the remaining rolls. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top.
10. Cover with a lid and bake for 1 hour. Remove lid and bake for 30 minutes more.
11. Serve hot, optionally with extra sour cream and fresh herbs.

Yield

10–12 servings (about 30–32 cabbage rolls)

Total Time

1 hour 50 minutes (20 min prep, 1 hour 30 min cook)