Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage rolls is a popular dish in Ukrainian and Russian cuisine. Typically, cabbage leaves are wrapped in minced meat or chopped vegetables. This dish has a funny name: the word golubcy is very similar to the word golubi,which means pigeons in Russian. Surprisingly enough, the name of this dish has French origins. In late 17th and early 18th centuries Russia experienced a humongous 'boom' of French cuisine. During those times it was quite trendy to eat pigeons, fried on an open fire. Later on, they started cooking the so-called 'fake pigeons' aka golubcy. 

The reason why I chose this dish for the summer time is due the fact that cabbage is very ripe and tender in summer.  

Ingredients (10 servings):

• 1 large cabbage
• 14.1 oz (400 g) minced meat
• 1/2 cup (1.2 dl) rice
• 1 large onion
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• cooking oil, for frying
• salt and pepper, to taste

To make the sauce:

• 1 large onion
• 6-7 tbsp sour cream
• 1 + 1/2 cup (3.5 dl) water
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Fill 3/4 of a large casserole with water, add some salt. Bring water to boil. Discard the core from the cabbage and place it in the boiling water. Cook the cabbage until the leaves become soft. 
3. Take the boiled cabbage out and drain it from excessive water. Separate the cabbage leaves and remove the hard spine from each leaf. Set aside.
4. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. 
5. Boil the rice until it is half done. Make sure not to overcook it as it will be cooked with the sauce in the oven later on.
6. In a large bowl, combine together rice, minced meat, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well. 
7. On each cabbage leaf, place a portion of the filling, and roll each leaf into a neat cylinder. 
   
    
8. In a skillet fry the rolls on a medium heat.
9. Place all the rolls in a baking dish. 

            

To make the sauce:

1. Peel and finely chop the onion. 
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the onion, sour cream, water, salt and pepper. Boil for 2-3 minutes. 
3. Pour the sauce over the rolls and bake them for about 40 minutes. 
4. Let the cabbage rolls cool for 10 minutes before serving.

                                                                                                                                                             

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