Stuffed cabbage

By Birgitta

Roughly based on a Russian recipe for golubtsy, this is perfect winter comfort food.

Hugh Fernely-Whittingstall for The Guardian, Nov 2008

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• 12 leaves from 1 big Savoy cabbage
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 600 g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch sugar (optional)
• For the filling:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 500 g pork, coarsely minced
• 150 g mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 200 g pearled spelt, rice or barley (cooked weight)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3-4 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp sour cream, plus more to serve

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from guardian.co.uk

Preparation

Step 1

To make the sauce, over a low heat, sweat the onion and garlic in the oil until soft but not coloured, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft and pulpy. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar, if using.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ gas mark 4. If the stems of the cabbage leaves are thick, pare them down a bit with a vegetable peeler. Blanch in boiling, lightly salted water for three minutes, refresh and pat dry.

Now make the filling. Over a low heat, sweat the onion and garlic in the oil until soft but not coloured, about 10 minutes. Add the pork, cook until just browned, then tip into a bowl. Cook the mushrooms in the same pan (you may need to add more oil) until they release their juices. Add the mushrooms to the bowl, along with the spelt, egg and herbs, season very generously and mix.

Place a big spoonful of meat mixture in the centre of each cabbage leaf, fold over the sides and roll up from the stalk end, until you have 12 neat packages, like spring rolls.

Place seam-side down in an ovenproof dish. Pour the sauce over, dot sour cream on top and bake for 35-40 minutes, until bubbling and hot. Serve with more sour cream.