Golomki (Cabbage Rolls or Golabki) AKA "Pigs in a Blanket"

A family tradition for as long as I can remember has been Golomkis. In a "word" cabbage rolls. They are a traditional Polish dish and many other countries have variations on them… for instance the Croatians make almost the identical thing, but call them Halupkies.

  The Golomki has been traditionally served as part of a holiday meal, but we often enjoy them on no special occasion at all. Some recipes call for a tomato based sauce, however my grandparents emigrated from Poland and this is how they did it.

INGREDIENTS:  

1 lb. ground pork or chicken
1 large shallot

1 cup cooked rice (Minute)
1 Tbsp chopped dry parsley

½ tsp ground savory

1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste

1 medium head cabbage
4 oz. salt pork

parsley sprigs for garnish

PREPARATION:

Cook the rice according to directions. Mix the first seven ingredients together with your hands in a bowl and set aside.

Remove the core from the cabbage. Put the cabbage in a dutch oven, cover with water and bring to a boil with the pan covered. Simmer 'till the leaves are softened and pliable;  remove the leaves one by one as they soften. When you have 4 or 5 removed, you can start filling them. You'll need 15 to 20 leaves. Leave the head in the simmering water.

Toughen the soft leaves in cold water. Carefully slice off the thickest part of the thick central vein.

Place about 4 Tbsp. of the meat mixture near the core end of a cabbage leaf. Form an oval with the filling. Tuck the sides of the leafs and roll them into tight rolls. Continue removing the leaves from the water adding the filling and rolling until the fillings' all used up.

Put the meat filled rolls in a large dutch oven, add the salt pork and cover with water*. Simmer over low heat for 2 hours.

* Alternately the water from boiling the cabbage may be used for additional flavor.

For a Complete BOILED DINNER

  1 lb. container of Sauer Kraut.

   Peel and wash 3 carrots cutting into 3 pieces each.

   Peel and wash 4 medium potatoes and cut in half.

Skip the last sentence above, instead, place the Sauer kraut undrained in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Arrange the cabbage rolls on the kraut and add the salt pork. Gently add water* to the pot until the rolls are covered; Cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for an hour.

After the first hour, add the potatoes and carrots to the pot. Allow the water to start a gentle boil and simmer for another hour.

Scoop out the vegetables and arrange in a serving dish. Gently lift the cabbage rolls with a slotted spoon and arrange on a platter. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Using the slotted spoon, remove the Sauer Kraut to a separate serving dish and present everything to the table.