Holubtsi
PREPARATION
1 hour to cook, 1 hour to bake
PORTIONS
5-6 servings
COMPLEXITY
easily
Holubtsi – is a dish of Ukrainian national cuisine. They are made from cabbage leafs. The most populat filling is rice, meat and stewed vegetables with tomato sauce. While fasting, meat may be substituted by mushrooms. In different regions of Ukraine we also use millet, beans, potatoes, or corn grits as filling.
I cooked the classic variant recipe that I know since childhood. My grandma always cooked holubtsi on holidays.
Ingredients
- 1 medium cabbage
- 1 big onion
- 1 big carrot
- 250 gr rice
- 2 cans of canned tomatoes
- 300 gr minced meat
- Salt, pepper to taste
- Olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprica powder
- 1 tsp thyme or oregano
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 4 sprigs of parsley or dill
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Method
The quantity of holubtsi depends on the size of cabbage leafs.
Boil rice in salted water till almost cooked (it has to be a little hard on the inside).
Cook the sauce with 1 can of canned tomatoes. Chop the onion, peel and grate the carrot. To sauté onion, carrot and garlic on olive oil. When the vegetables get soft, add 1 can of canned tomatoes and half a can of water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stew it on mediom heat 15-20 min.
Carefully cut out the stem of the cabbage. Put it then in a big pot with boiling water. Boil the cabbage till you can separate the leafs without effort (you mustn’t tear the leafs). Cut the thick parts near the stem.
Blend the sauce in a blender. Mix the sauce, rice, and minced meat in a big bowl, add fresh chopped greens.
Blend another can of canned tomatoes in a blender. Add salt and pepper to tasle. Pour half into the bottom of a baking dish or pan.
Form holubtsi wrapping the filling into cabbage leafs. Put them in one layer in the baking dish or pan, then pour tomato sauce on top, and make another layer. Pour the remaining sauce on top. Cover with a lid or with foil.
Bake on 180°C 1 hour minimum. Check the softness of cabbage. 30 min till cooked, take off the lid to evaporate exessive moisture.
Serve with sour cream.
