Cabbage Rolls Like Babka Made Them



Fresh out of the pan and ready to eat!

 Babka's Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage is one of the oldest known vegetables in the world. Remnants of cabbage leaves were found inside old clay pots dating back to 4000 B.C. China. While the exact origin of cabbage rolls is unknown, it's almost certain this dish originated somewhere in Europe.

In Croatia, cabbage rolls are a staple part of the diet and a favorite Christmastime dish, cooked with smoked ground pork. Ukrainians fill their cabbage rolls with rice only, while the Swedes and Finns serve theirs with lingonberry jam for a sweet and sour combination.

Most cabbage rolls are round in shape but the Lebanese fill theirs with meat and rice then roll them up like cigars. Rather than cook them in tomato-based sauce like Eastern Europeans or Americans, the people of Lebanon serve their cigar-shaped cabbage rolls with a side of plain yogurt and a lemon and olive oil vinairgrette dressing seasoned with garlic and dried mint.

My version of cabbage rolls is closest to the kind made and served in Poland and Croatia. The recipe is a combination of a few recipes I like. What I like about this recipe is its flexibility. If I feel like enjoying a slightly different flavor I need only add half a teaspoon or so of dried rosemary, or parsley, or curry....or whatever else my tastebuds are calling for. But mostly, I stick to this recipe because I believe in the old adage "if ain't broke, don't fix it."

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground meat (beef, pork, turkey or a combination)

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3/4 cup uncooked white rice

1 cup water

Salt

Black pepper

1 large head green cabbage

32 ounces sauerkraut

16 ounces beer (anything but dark)



Directions:

1. Combine the ground meat, chopped onion, chopped garlic, uncooked rice, water and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well then set aside.

2. Boil water in a large pot. Carefully peel off 15 to 20 cabbage leaves and boil them until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Or, you can do like I do: place the entire head of cabbage in the boiling water and peel off a few softened leaves at a time with two forks. Continue the process of boiling and peeling until you've gotten enough leaves. Be careful because the cabbage will be hot. I do it this way because I have better luck keeping the leaves intact.

3. Make a round ball of meat and place it in the middle of the cabbage leaf, a few inches from the end. Vary the size of the ball of meat in proportion with the size of the cabbage leaf. Fold in the sides then roll up the leaf from the end. When done like this you do not need to use toothpicks to hold the cabbage rolls together.

4. Cover the bottom of your pan or dutch oven with half of the sauerkraut. Arrange the cabbage rolls in a single layer, over the sauerkraut,with the folded side of the rolls facing down. Spread the remainder of the sauerkraut over the cabbage rolls.

5. Pour the beer over the cabbage rolls. Cover the pan tightly with a lid to keep moisture in. Bring the cabbage rolls to a boil then lower the heat and allow them to simmer for 90 minutes.

Cooking Tip: Cut the core out of the raw cabbage and boil. As the leaves soften they easily slip away from each other.

Dining Tip: You can serve these with mashed or boiled potatoes but they make a filling meal in and of themselves. Enjoy with Zinfandel.

Smacznego!!! That's Polish for "enjoy your meal"! And before I forget, "Babka" is Polish for "grandmother".