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cabbage rolls with sour cream and dill
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Golubtsi - Cabbage Rolls

Golubtsi (Голубцы), beloved Eastern European stuffed cabbage rolls, are the perfect combination of comfort and flavor. Perfect for special occasions like the holidays or for a cozy meal, and is an economical meal to feed an army of people. Tender, juicy and flavorful, Oven Baked or Stovetop Cabbage Rolls are sure to delight everyone.
Course Dinner, Main
Cuisine Eastern European, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword Cabbage Rolls, Golubtsi
Prep Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 1 large cabbage
  • 2 pounds (1kg) lean ground beef
  • 2 cups uncooked medium grain rice
  • 3 carrots grated
  • 2 large onions finely chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoon oil
  • ½ pound (250g) back bacon optional

Cabbage Roll Tomato Sauce

  • 2 jars Passata Tomato Puree 24oz/700g
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons beef stock powder
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • bunch fresh chopped dill

Instructions

Making Golubtsi

  • Rinse the rice, and cook according to instructions, and allow to cool.
  • Cut out the core from the cabbage and remove the outer leaves.
  • In a large pot of salted water, fully submerge the cabbage, core side down. Bring to a boil and rotate the cabbage. After about 6-7 minutes, pull off the cabbage leaves as they soften, and allow to cool. Leaves should be soft enough to bend but not overcooked.
  • In a frying pan, heat olive oil and sauté onions until lightly browned. Add grated carrots and cook until caramelized.
  • Using your hands, mix together ground beef, cooked rice, sautéed carrots and onions, eggs, salt and pepper.
  • Place meat filling to the thickest side of the cabbage leaf. Roll up the cabbage, tucking the insides. Your first few might look a bit funny, but it will get easier as you go.
  • In a large stock pot, lay the cabbage rolls side by side until the first layer is filled. Place a layer of bacon over the cabbage rolls. Repeat until pot is full, you should get 3 levels of cabbage rolls.

Cabbage Roll Sauce

  • In a saucepan, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic until lightly browned. Add the Passata tomato puree, Beef Stock powder (or beef cubes), bay leaf, fresh dill and sour cream bring to a gently simmer.
  • Pour the tomato sauce over the Golubtsi until fully covered. Bring it to a simmer, cover and cook for approx 40 minutes until the meat is cooked.
  • Serve with sour cream, garnish with fresh dill and enjoy!

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