Stuffed cabbage, or Golabki as they are called in Poland, is one of the easiest and most comforting dishes in any cook’s repertoire. A hearty mix of warm rice, buttery pine nuts and lemony sour sumac, it is a satisfying meal to both cook and eat, especially with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Though the ingredients may vary, all stuffed cabbage recipes begin with boiling an entire head of cabbage. This softens the leaves, making them pliable and easier to roll. It also removes the hard rib in the base of each leaf, which is the hardest part to work around when rolling the cabbage.
Once cooled, remove the outermost leaves and discard the core. Then cut off the wilted, torn or small inner leaves and reserve them for lining your pot later.
The filling is usually a combination of ground beef, onions, garlic and cooked rice. However, the exact amount of each ingredient varies from recipe to recipe, as does the type of meat. Doriti uses pork, Rosemary Barron goes for lamb or beef in Flavours of Greece, Akis Petretzikis favors veal or beef, and others like using just beef, such as Salaman’s recipe.
Most recipes also call for a savory tomato sauce or soup. Adding sugar to the tomato sauce helps reduce the acidity and makes it more mellow and enjoyable to eat. For the best results, use a can of tomato soup rather than pureed tomatoes, which can be too acidic and bitter for this dish. كرنب محشي