Polish Gołąbki (Cabbage Rolls)

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This recipe demonstrates how to make traditional Polish gołąbki with a flavorful meat and rice filling wrapped in cabbage leaves and baked in a rich tomato sauce.

Ingredients

• small amount Olive Oil
• Onions
• 1 tablespoon Garlic
• small amount Paprika
• Dried Herbs/Spices
• Ground Meat
• 1 cup Cooked Rice
• 1-2 tablespoons Fresh Dill
• 1 Egg
• Salt
• Pepper
• Bacon
• 1 head Cabbage
• 2 cans Canned Diced Tomatoes
• 2-3 leaves Bay Leaves
• Fresh Parsley or Dill

Instructions

1. Soften Onions: Heat a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until softened and translucent, approximately 3-4 minutes.
2. Add Garlic and Spices: Add minced garlic to the pan and sauté briefly. Then, add paprika and dried herbs/spices, stirring to combine.
3. Transfer Sautéed Mixture: Scrape the cooked onion and spice mixture from the pan into a small bowl.
4. Prepare Meat Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked rice, fresh dill, and the sautéed onion and spice mixture.
5. Season and Bind: Crack an egg into the bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
6. Prepare Cabbage: Take a whole head of cabbage. The outer leaves appear to be removed and set aside. The core of the cabbage is then removed by cutting it out.
7. Blanch Cabbage: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully place the whole cabbage head into the boiling water, submerging it as much as possible. Let it blanch for about 5 minutes.
8. Separate Cabbage Leaves: Remove the blanched cabbage from the pot and place it on a rack. Carefully peel off the softened outer leaves, one by one.
9. Prepare Cabbage for Rolling: Lay a softened cabbage leaf flat on a cutting board. Trim any thick rib from the center of the leaf if necessary.
10. Form Cabbage Rolls: Take a portion of the meat mixture and shape it into a log. Place the meat log onto the prepared cabbage leaf. Fold the sides of the cabbage leaf over the meat, then roll it up from the bottom.
11. Wrap with Bacon: Lay a slice of bacon on the cutting board and place the formed cabbage roll on top of it. Wrap the bacon around the cabbage roll, securing it.
12. Arrange in Baking Dish: Place the prepared cabbage rolls, seam-side down, into a baking dish.
13. Prepare Sauce: In the same frying pan used earlier, add diced bacon and cook until crispy.
14. Sauté Onions in Bacon Fat: Add chopped onions to the pan with the rendered bacon fat and cook until softened. Add a knob of butter.
15. Add Tomatoes and Seasoning: Add the diced tomatoes from two cans to the pan. Add bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
16. Add Fresh Herbs: Stir in chopped fresh dill or parsley.
17. Assemble for Baking: Pour the tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls in the baking dish, ensuring they are well covered.
18. Cook in Air Fryer or Oven: Place the baking dish into the air fryer at 140°C (284°F) for 45 minutes or in a preheated oven at 160°C (320°F) for 60 minutes.
19. Serve: Once cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven or air fryer. Serve the cabbage rolls hot, spooning extra sauce over them and garnishing with fresh herbs.

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