Golubtsi

Golubtsi (Russian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Classic Russian comfort food: tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a juicy filling of minced meat, rice and onion, then simmered until meltingly soft in a tangy tomato-sour cream sauce. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and plenty of fresh dill.

Prep

45 min

Cook

90 min

Total

135 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1 whole white cabbage, about 1.2 kg / 2½ lb, tight head
• •500 g (1 lb 1¾ oz) minced pork, or a 50/50 pork and beef mix, as traditionally used
• •100 g (3½ oz) white rice, short-grain or long-grain, uncooked
• •2 whole onions, 1 finely grated into the filling, 1 sliced for the sauce
• •2 whole carrots, 1 grated into the filling, 1 grated for the sauce
• •400 ml (1⅔ cups) tinned chopped tomatoes, or 4 tbsp tomato purée mixed with 200 ml / ¾ cup + 1 tbsp water
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) sour cream, full-fat, plus extra to serve
• •1 tbsp tomato purée, optional, for deeper colour
• •1 tsp sugar, to balance the tomato
• •2 cloves garlic, crushed
• •40 ml (2 tbsp + 2 tsp) sunflower oil, or any neutral oil, plus extra for frying
• •1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •black pepper, ½, freshly ground
• •1 bunch fresh dill, to serve
• •500 ml (2 cups + 2 tbsp) water or light stock, for the braising liquid

Steps

1. 1 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove any damaged outer leaves from the cabbage and set them aside. Cut out the core in a cone, then lower the whole head into the boiling water. Blanch for 8–10 minutes, using tongs to peel off the leaves as they soften (the outer leaves will come off first). You need about 12–14 large leaves. Blanch any remaining thick-ribbed leaves a further 2–3 minutes. Drain, trim the thick rib at the base of each leaf flat, and pat dry.
2. 2 Rinse the rice and cook it in 200 ml / ¾ cup + 1 tbsp of water with a pinch of salt: bring to a boil, cover, reduce to the lowest heat and cook for 10 minutes. It should be only half-cooked - it will finish in the sauce. Spread on a plate to cool.
3. 3 Make the filling: in a bowl, combine the minced meat, half-cooked rice, 1 grated onion, 1 grated carrot, the crushed garlic, ½ tsp salt and the black pepper. Mix with your hands until evenly combined but do not overwork.
4. 4 Lay a cabbage leaf flat, rib side up. Place about 2 heaped tablespoons of filling near the trimmed base. Fold the base over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll up tightly into a neat parcel. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
5. 5 Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide, heavy-based pan or casserole over medium heat. Fry the rolls seam-side down in batches for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden, then turn and brown the other side. Remove and set aside.
6. 6 In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed and fry the sliced onion and remaining grated carrot for 5–6 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute.
7. 7 Add the tinned tomatoes, sugar, ½ tsp salt and 500 ml / 2 cups + 2 tbsp water or stock. Stir and bring to a simmer. Mix the sour cream with a ladleful of the hot sauce to temper it, then stir it back into the pan - this prevents curdling.
8. 8 Nestle the rolls into the sauce seam-side down, in a single layer. Cover and simmer very gently for 45–50 minutes. Doneness cue: a roll is done when the cabbage is completely tender and translucent and the filling is no longer pink - the internal temperature of the meat filling should reach at least 75°C / 167°F. If the sauce reduces too much, add a splash of hot water.
9. 9 Rest, covered, off the heat for 10 minutes. Serve the golubtsi hot with the sauce spooned over, a generous spoonful of cold sour cream and a scattering of chopped fresh dill. They also reheat well the next day.