Polish Golabki: Cabbage Rolls with Peak-Harvest Tomato Sauce and Fresh Dill

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Core the cabbage, lower the whole head into the water, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, peeling off outer leaves with tongs as they soften. You want 14 to 16 pliable leaves. Drain and cool, then shave down the thick rib on each leaf with a paring knife.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 large head green cabbage (about 3 lb)
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 cup cooked white rice, cooled
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 2 lb ripe farmers-market tomatoes, cored and chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
• Sour cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Core the cabbage, lower the whole head into the water, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, peeling off outer leaves with tongs as they soften. You want 14 to 16 pliable leaves. Drain and cool, then shave down the thick rib on each leaf with a paring knife.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and paprika, cook 1 minute more, and let cool.
3. In a bowl, combine the pork, beef, cooled rice, egg, half the cooked onion mixture, 1½ teaspoons salt and plenty of black pepper. Mix with your hands just until combined.
4. Place a leaf on the board, rib end toward you, and set a generous 1/3 cup of filling near the base. Fold in the sides and roll up snugly into a tight parcel. Repeat with the remaining leaves.
5. For the sauce, add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste to the remaining onion in the skillet and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes break down into a thick, jammy sauce. Stir in the stock and season with salt.
6. Line the bottom of a deep baking dish or Dutch oven with a few spare cabbage leaves, then pack the rolls in seam side down in a single tight layer. Pour the tomato sauce over them.
7. Cover tightly and bake at 350°F for 75 to 90 minutes, until the cabbage is completely tender and the filling registers 165°F.
8. Rest 10 minutes, then serve two rolls per person with plenty of sauce, a heavy shower of dill and a spoonful of sour cream.
9. Gołąbki means 'little pigeons,' an affectionate old name for these plump parcels that appear on Polish tables for Sunday dinners, weddings and wakes alike. They were built for the moment cabbage comes in heavy at the end of summer and tomatoes are still at their sweetest — the two peak crops meeting in one dish. Make them a day ahead if you can; like most braises, gołąbki are better on the second day, when the sauce has soaked all the way through the leaves.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 480 kcal
• Protein: 29g
• Fat: 26g
• Carbohydrates: 33g
• Fiber: 7g
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 760mg