I keep a year-round garden in the microcosms/ecosystems in my yard. I maintain an herb garden and I have vegetables growing throughout the year. I also cook seasonally, buying vegetables at their prime and at their best prices. Right now, cabbage is king.
A favorite fall dish of the Hawthornes is stuffed cabbage rolls or galumpkis, also known as gołąbki in the Polish form.
A traditional Polish dish, gołąbki is the plural of gołąbek, which is the diminutive of gołąb, meaning “pigeon,” a reference to the shape of the cabbage roll. As for the pronunciation, I received this comment on my blog, Kitchens Are Monkey Business, when I first posted about galumpkis:
There is no such thing as “galumpki.” The Polish word is “golabki” (there should be a line through the “l”–which gives it a “w” sound, & an accent–which looks like a backwards comma– on the “a”). It’s pronounced “gaw WOAMB kee.”
The Poles are credited for originating this dish, but galumpkis shows up throughout Eastern Europe with different names and interpretations and slight variations in the recipes.
The food of Poland itself has many outside influences from neighboring countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Germany. In addition, Poland’s historical connections with Russia, Turkey, and Italy have integrated elements of cuisine from those countries.
Legend tells us that the King of Poland fed his armies gołąbki before a pivotal battle in the Thirteen Years War against the Teutonic Order, circa 1465. The Polish troops were victorious in this battle and Polish rumor credits their victory partially to the strength of the hearty meal of gołąbki given to the troops.
Now I would love to tell you that this recipe originated with my Polish great-grandmother, who handed it down to my grandmother, who then passed it to my mother, who in turn passed it lovingly to me, but I have no Polish ancestry from which to receive a passed-down, multi-generational recipe, a lovely cultural tradition, I might add.
I have my own version, which I put together after researching the history of this dish. It is a quite substantial and satisfying meal consisting of cabbage leaves stuffed with ground pork, ground beef, and rice, and covered with a sweet and sour tomato sauce.
As for my ancestry, I’m from hearty, Scottish, peasant stock, so for my January column, in honor of Robert Burns’ birthday, you may be getting a recipe for haggis. On second thought, maybe not, since I want to keep my readers.
Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce: 2 TB oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 small onion, chopped 1 TB white wine vinegar 1 TB sugar Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Coat a saucepan with the oil and place over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for a minute or so. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the vinegar and sugar and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Set aside.
Cabbage Rolls: 2 TB oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 TB tomato paste ¼ cup dry red wine 3-4 TB fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped ½ pound ground beef 1/2 pound ground pork 1 egg 1 cup white rice, cooked Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 head of green cabbage
Place a skillet over medium heat and coat with oil. Sauté the onion and garlic until onions are translucent — about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, wine, parsley, and ½ cup of the sweet and sour tomato sauce. Mix to incorporate, and remove from heat.
Combine the ground beef and pork in a mixing bowl. Add the egg, the cooked rice, and the sautéed onion mixture. Mix filling with your hands to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
To prepare the cabbage: Remove the core from the cabbage. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and simmer the cabbage for 5 minutes, being sure to press the head down and turn it around throughout the simmer time.
Assembly: Take the larger outside cabbage leaves, cut out the rib, and arrange them on a greased baking dish, letting the leaves hang over the sides of the pan. This layer of cabbage leaves will keep the stuffed cabbage rolls from burning on the bottom when baked. Use the better looking leaves for stuffing. With each leaf, cut out the rib so it rolls up easier.
Fill with the meat mixture and, starting at the stem end and folding the sides in, roll them up to enclose the filling.
Place cabbage rolls side by side in rows and seam-side down in the baking dish. I had enough stuffing and cabbage to fill both a 9 x 13-inch and an 8 x 8-inch pan. Cover rolls with the rest of the tomato sauce.
Place leftover inner cabbage leaves over top, and fold the over-hanging leaves to the center to enclose and keep the moisture in. Drizzle top with your favorite extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.
Serve with a mixed greens salad with a fresh homemade vinaigrette and toasted baguette slices slathered in butter. And remember, in case you need to do battle in the near future, you’re well-fortified and all set to go.
As the Polish would say, Jedzcie, pijcie i popuszczajcie pasa! (Eat, drink, and loosen your belt!)
Please stop by Kitchens Are Monkey Business and visit with Rosie. It’s a front porch type of visit.
Can you pronounce it better? Or with a different accent? Pronounce gołąbki in Polish Share the pronunciation of gołąbki in Polish:
Assembly: Take the larger outside cabbage leaves, cut out the rib, and arrange them on a greased baking dish, letting the leaves hang over the sides of the pan. This layer of cabbage leaves will keep the stuffed cabbage rolls from burning on the bottom when baked. Use the better looking leaves for stuffing. With each leaf, cut out the rib so it rolls up easier.
To prepare the cabbage: Remove the core from the cabbage. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and simmer the cabbage for 5 minutes, being sure to press the head down and turn it around throughout the simmer time.
Cabbage Rolls: 2 TB oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 TB tomato paste ¼ cup dry red wine 3-4 TB fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped ½ pound ground beef 1/2 pound ground pork 1 egg 1 cup white rice, cooked Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 head of green cabbage
I have my own version, which I put together after researching the history of this dish. It is a quite substantial and satisfying meal consisting of cabbage leaves stuffed with ground pork, ground beef, and rice, and covered with a sweet and sour tomato sauce.
The food of Poland itself has many outside influences from neighboring countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and Germany. In addition, Poland’s historical connections with Russia, Turkey, and Italy have integrated elements of cuisine from those countries.
How to Pronounce Golabki? (gołąbki, Polish Dish)
FAQ
What does Golabki mean in Polish?
What is the difference between Golabki and Golumpki?
What is a golumpki recipe?
Traditionally, a Golumpki recipe is a meat mixture such as ground beef, mixed with rice, onions, and spices that is then rolled in a cooked cabbage leaf. It is topped with a tomato sauce and then baked. Every cook has their variation of family recipes, and therefore this golumpki recipe may be a bit different to what you are used to.
Why is stuffed cabbage called golumpki?
However we never called it stuffed cabbage, we called it Golumpki, the Polish name for stuffed cabbage. Golumpki is traditionally made for special occasions like weddings, first communions and during holidays like Easter and Christmas.
What is Polish stuffed cabbage?
Some people call it pigs in a blanket, while others call it cabbage rolls and yet still others call it stuffed cabbage. No matter what anyone else calls it, I call this Polish recipe for stuffed cabbage (P0lish golabki) utterly delicious. Our whole family agrees that this golumpki recipe is one of our favorite meals.
What is golumpki & how is it made?
Golumpki is traditionally made for special occasions like weddings, first communions and during holidays like Easter and Christmas. Traditionally, a Golumpki recipe is a meat mixture such as ground beef, mixed with rice, onions, and spices that is then rolled in a cooked cabbage leaf. It is topped with a tomato sauce and then baked.