Cooking Lesson #426: Holubtsi — Ukrainian-Style Stuffed Cabbage

Joan’s Healthy Recipes

How you doin’? Ukraine has been in the news lately, and I thought Ukraine might be of interest to our readers because of its importance to agriculture and food in general.
 
Ukraine is the second-largest country in Eastern Europe, after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine also shares borders with Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the south; and has a coastline along the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
 
Ukraine is often referred to as the “breadbasket of Europe” because of how much the Ukrainian people value wheat and grain, a staple in Ukrainian cuisine due to their historical relationship with it.
 
Most original Ukrainian dishes are popular in Russia and other Eastern European countries (with some changes in ingredients from country-to-county). Many of these Ukrainian foods are even enjoyed in English-speaking countries, as well.
 
Traditional Ukrainian dishes are derived from ancient peasant meals that made use of plentiful grain resources such as rye, as well as essential vegetables such as potatoes, cabbages, mushrooms, and beetroot. The cuisine is also heavily influenced by the rich dark fertile soil in which many ingredients are grown. Because of the changes to borders, many of these dishes incorporate both Slavic and Eastern European influences as a result of years of foreign occupation, enslavement and jurisdiction.
 
Ukrainian Holubtsi, or stuffed cabbage leaves, are the perfect warm comfort food for a chilly day. Traditional stuffed cabbage mixes pork and beef with barberries, giving the dish a complex sour note. If barberries are hard to find, you can substitute cranberries, currants or raisins soaked in lemon juice.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour 20 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
Calories:  321 kcal
 
Ingredients 
12 to 14 large savoy cabbage leaves (from 1 large Savoy cabbage; use the inner smaller leaves for coleslaw)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely diced yellow onion, divided
3/4 cup peeled and finely grated carrot
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 can chopped tomatoes (14-1/2-ounce can, undrained)
1-2/3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
8 ounces ground beef
8 ounces ground pork
1/4 cup barberries (optional)
1/4 cup parboiled white long-grain rice (cooked for only about 5 minutes)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
Sour cream, for topping
Sliced grilled sourdough bread, for serving
 
Directions

1. Prepare an ice water bath in a large kettle or mixing bowl.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Working in batches, blanch the cabbage leaves until bright green and pliable, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per leaf.
4. Immediately shock the leaves in the ice bath, then transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
5. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat.
6. Add half of the onion and all the grated carrot and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.
7. Add the tomato paste and sugar, and cook until lightly caramelized, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, water and bay leaves and cook until reduced by half, about 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Remove from the heat and season with salt to taste and set aside.
9. In a large bowl, combine the ground meats, barberries (if using), parboiled rice and the remaining diced onion. Season with the salt and gently toss with your hands to mix, just until combined. Do not over mix or the meat will become too dense.
10. Working with 1 cabbage leaf at time with the stem end facing toward you, place 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling into the center of each leaf. Fold the sides of cabbage over the filling, then roll up. Arrange the rolls, seam-side down, in the pot with the tomato mixture to form one even layer.
11. Bring the pot to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer until the filling is cooked through, about 35 to 45 minutes. When you're cooking, snuggle the rolls next to each other so they don't unravel.
12. Carefully plate up the stuffed cabbage rolls and garnish with the chopped dill, a dollop of sour cream and grilled sourdough bread.

ChefSecret:  European barberries have a tart flavor, like cranberries, while barberries from North America are sweeter. Barberries contain several beneficial compounds, most notably berberine, which acts as an antioxidant and may help to manage conditions like diabetes, fight dental infections, and treat acne. Barberries can be purchased at Whole Foods or Amazon online.

Quip of the Day: “A Ukrainian proverb: A stupid Russian gives straw to his dog and bones to his horse.”
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