Homestyle Polish Cabbage Rolls...

I've had my fair share of cabbage rolls over the years, pouring over restaurant and European store hot counter reviews to find that perfect-tasting one. I've tried different cuisine versions from Romanian, Russian, Hungarian and Polish. With styles in tomato sauce, with creamy mushroom sauce, red pepper oil or dollops of sour cream. Served large comfort in a meal and small elegant as a cocktail appetizer at a wedding. 

For someone that gets inspired from eating a tasty, and then immediately makes plans to replicate it, I just can't believe it's taken me this long to try my hands on making them. They really are one of the simplest things to make, budget- and family-friendly but yields that big impact at the table with its comfort hearty-all-in-one appeal with meat, rice and vegetables. After all the pouring over and tastings, its the Polish ones bathed in a thin tomato sauce I adore most.

Delicious first attempt! A recipe keeper!

Yes, cabbage rolls can be rolled small and served as an elegant cocktail appetizer. These rolls were made to the traditional recipe provided by the Hungarian bride at her backyard catered wedding. An event I tended to, assisting my friend Chef Frederick Oh one summer.

Deliciously prepared with nappa cabbage.

Roncesvalles' Cafe Polonez, an institution in the Polish community for 30 years serves up some of the best tasting cabbage rolls ever-- mmmmm!! Stuffed with meat and rice with a tomato sauce and this creamy veggie delight with just mushrooms and rice! So goooood!!

Cafe Polonez in Roncesvalles.

Hai sa mancam! Let's Eat! Romanian cabbage rolls! The ones I got on the right from ABC's hot counter were filled with pork and vegetables, but they aren't my favourite. Maybe it was the slather of red pepper oil that didn't agree? 

This friendly store- ABC Euro Delicatessen in Scarborough, carries mainly Romanian products
but also imports from Hungary, Italy, Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, France, Spain, and Germany.

This night was a medley of sorts from East European store Yummy Market specializing in Russian foods- from fresh bakery, deli counter, freezer and hot table for dinner. I got cabbage rolls called "Golubtsi", but it wasn't memorable. They are typically served with a side of sour cream.

Russian specialty Yummy Market

Hastings Snack Bar's lovely owner Ania handmakes and dishes her food out with love 💞.

This place is an outstanding must!! Do yourself a favour. And Go! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️. The cutest lunch counter ever. 😊

Hastings Snack Bar owner Ania.

Ahh, the Hungry Tata's Lunch as mentioned in my last post (I opted for both mushroom sauerkraut, and meat perogies served with sauteed onions and sour cream, a juicy Polish kielbasa sausage with a dollop of Polish mustard, a huge beef and pork cabbage roll slathered in tomato sauce, and a countering tangy sauerkraut with gherkin pickle)... them perogies and cabbage roll were hands-down ones of the best I've ever had 😊.

Hastings Snack Bar

Homestyle Polish Cabbage Rolls (adapted from Spend with Pennies)
Makes 16 large rolls

1 medium head green savoy cabbage
1 lb. ground pork (or ground turkey)
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dill weed (optional)
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, and more for garnishing
1 can (425 mL) diced tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup uncooked rice (I used converted brown rice)
1 egg
1/3 cup tomato sauce or pasta sauce 

Sauce:

1-1/2 cups tomato sauce or pasta sauce
1 can condensed tomato soup

Core the cabbage and remove the stem. Separate the leaves, and boil in a pot of water about two mins. or until soft. Set aside to cool.

Cook rice according to package directions but reduce cooking time by five mins. so its slightly underdone. Set aside.

Coring the head cabbage with a paring knife.

Skillet boiling cabbage leaves in batches. Drain well.

Cook beef, pork (or turkey), onions, garlic and seasonings until no pink remains. Drain any fat. Add in rice, diced tomatoes, 1/3 cup of tomato/pasta sauce, salt & pepper. Stir in egg. 

Mix tomato sauce and tomato soup in a bowl. Spread a very thin layer of the tomato sauce mixture in a 9 x 13 pan.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove or thin any thick stem on cabbage leaves. Lay the cabbage leaf flat and add 1/3 cup filling to the centre of the leaf. Fold in the sides and roll the cabbage up. Place seam side down in the pan. Double up for small leaves. Repeat with remaining cabbage.

This job needs my mulberry fall 9 X 13

Shave off the thick layer cabbage stems, for leaf pliability.

Pour sauce over the cabbage and cover tightly with foil. Bake 90 mins. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.

TIP: Leftovers are very freezer friendly. Just pop them in freezer bags and you’ve got cabbage rolls on a whim when you don’t feel like fussing in the kitchen.

So exciting!

Wahhh!! 1-1/2 hours later these leafy chubs came out piping hot and smelling like heaven!

Gorgeous, shiny and teeth-sinkable (OMG, making up my own delish jargon lol)...

Dinner is happily served. A simple side green salad is all we need to round the meal out.

The mixed pork and beef and the rice was soft and comforting with a nice cabbage leaves yield bathed in slightly tangy sweet tomato sauce. Hearty! Flavoursome! A keeper!

Two large cabbage rolls and side greens constitutes a nice meal.

I made a second version a la cream of mushroom inspired by Cafe Polonez with leftover soup in my small convection oven (with four cabbage rolls). My son and I really liked the creamy mushroom topping. Tastes so succulent and complements the ingredients so well.

Full Recipe: 

Homestyle Polish Cabbage Rolls (adapted from Spend with Pennies)
Makes 16 large rolls

1 medium head green savoy cabbage
1 lb. ground pork (or ground turkey)
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dill weed (optional)
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, and more for garnishing
1 can (425 mL) diced tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup uncooked rice (I used converted brown rice)

1 egg
1/3 cup tomato sauce or pasta sauce 

Sauce:

1-1/2 cups tomato sauce or pasta sauce
1 can condensed tomato soup

Core the cabbage and remove the stem. Separate the leaves, and boil in a pot of water about two mins. or until soft. Set aside to cool.
Cook rice according to package directions but reduce cooking time by five mins. so its slightly underdone. Set aside.

Cook beef, pork (or turkey), onions, garlic and seasonings until no pink remains. Drain any fat. Add in rice, diced tomatoes, 1/3 cup of tomato/pasta sauce, salt & pepper. Stir in egg.
Mix tomato sauce and tomato soup in a bowl. Spread a very thin layer of the tomato sauce mixture in a 9x13 pan.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove or thin any thick stem on cabbage leaves. Lay the cabbage leaf flat and add 1/3 cup filling to the centre of the leaf. Fold in the sides and roll the cabbage up. Place seam side down in the pan. Double up for small leaves. Repeat with remaining cabbage.

Pour sauce over the cabbage and cover tightly with foil. Bake 90 mins. Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.

TIP: Leftovers are very freezer friendly. Just pop them in freezer bags and you’ve got cabbage rolls on a whim when you don’t feel like fussing in the kitchen.