Cabbage rolls

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 500 g minced meat, mixed
• 1 head of white cabbage, with large leaves
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 250 g rice, simple product
• 2 m.-sized onion(s)
• 1 tsp meat broth, granulated
• 1 pack of smoked bacon, not cooked
• salt and pepper
• Maggi
• Flour for binding

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 10 minutes

real Polish golabki, as my grandma used to make them

There’s hardly anyone in Poland who doesn’t like golabkis. These aren’t simple cabbage rolls; golabkis must contain rice as well as meat. Besides, I think the dish is definitely lacking something without tomato sauce! I really like this recipe, and it’s easy to make even for those who aren’t so experienced at cooking: Cut out the tough stalk from the cabbage with a knife, creating a small hole. Place the cabbage in a large pot, cover with hot water, and simmer for a few minutes over very low heat (turning occasionally to ensure the leaves soften as evenly as possible). Once prepared, the cabbage leaves can be easily separated. I managed it the first time, but it does require a bit of skill. For the filling, put 500g of minced meat in a bowl. Boil the rice as usual, but don’t overcook it. Salt the water and let the rice boil for about 10-12 minutes, then remove, drain, and let cool. Dice the onions and fry in hot oil until golden brown, but do not allow to brown. Add the rice and fried onions to the minced meat, season with salt and pepper, and mix with your hands until smooth. Place a tablespoon of filling on each cabbage leaf (about two or three tablespoons), roll it up slightly, tuck in the sides, and finish rolling – the cabbage roll is ready! Now heat the pan. Place the bacon on the bottom of the pan, covering it completely, and fry until crispy. Place the golabkis close together on top of the bacon, then pour over 250 ml of broth (half-covering is enough). Cover and simmer over medium heat for 1-1.5 hours. Turn them over gently several times to ensure even cooking. To make the sauce, remove the golabkis from the pan (you can also remove the bacon if you don’t want it). Season the broth with tomato paste, ketchup, Maggi, and perhaps a little more broth granules. If the sauce is too thin, thicken it with flour. To do this, separate a glass of cold water and stir in some flour to thicken it into the boiling broth. Finally, add the golabkis to the finished sauce and reheat it. They also taste great reheated the next day.