STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

By Lutie

This is a very old Polish recipe going back to my great grandmother (paternal). Busha (Polish for grandmother) made this, as did my grandma and my mother learned from them. I have never heard of anyone else who made cabbage rolls with a cream gravy - usually they were made with a tomato based sauce. This is, again, hearty, ethnic peasant fare, where a little meat could feed a whole family. It’s also delicious. I watched these being made since I was a child. I hope I can explain the technique adequately in words.

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cabbage
• 1 Lb. ground pork
• 1 Tbs. grated onion
• 1/2 Cup white rice, cooked in salted water
• Salt & Pepper
• 6 Whole allspice
• 1 Bay leaf
• Heavy cream

Preparation

Step 1

Mix pork, onion, cooked rice, salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat a large pot of water to boil, then turn heat off.

Core cabbage as best you can and drop the whole head of cabbage into the boiling water and let it sit there for about 5 minutes. You should be able to pry off (intact) individual leaves. You may have to remove more of the core as you go. Drop the individual leaves back into the hot water to soften. With a sharp knife, pare the rib of each leaf (the thicker part) to make it thinner and easier to roll. You should be able to remove about 8-10 leaves before it becomes just about impossible.

Quarter the remaining cabbage and insert a toothpick so that quarters will stay together when cooking.

Take an individual cabbage leaf and starting at the rib end, put a ¼ cup or so of the meat/rice mixture on the leaf. Fold edges over filling and roll up. Tuck in ends. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat.

In a large skilled, add about 2 tbs. of butter and slowly sauté rolls on low heat. When lightly browned, add ¼ cup of chopped onion, bay leaf and allspice. Place cabbage quarters on top of cabbage rolls and simmer covered, for about an hour, turning the rolls midway. There should be enough liquid in the pan from the cabbage so that nothing will burn - otherwise add a little water.

Cook two red potatoes, peeled and quartered in boiling salted water until tender. Place in skillet with cabbage rolls.

You can thicken a milk sauce, use sour cream, or the easiest way - add about a cup of heavy cream to skillet, along with salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 15 minutes.