Recipe(tried): Stuffed Cabbage (Galombkies)

Hi Karyn - I'm going to give you a basic recipe that would be for about 4 people and you can expand if needed.
Also, don't be horrified at all the cholesterol this recipe has - those previous generations of Polish folks didn't worry about stuff like we do! Unfortunately, all those things that make this recipe tastier is because of the fats and cholesterols in it -

STUFFED CABBAGE (GALOMBKIES)

1 LARGE head of cabbage
1 pkg. of salt pork - the all white type is best, not the lean
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger (don't use lean)
1 cup of COOKED rice
1 small onion, grated very fine - you don't want to see or taste chunks of onion in it at all. Divided use - use half in the meat and half in the sauce.
fresh ground pepper
salt (sparingly due to using salt pork)
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 small bottle of ketchup
1 lb. bacon

Try to core the head of cabbage as much as possible, while leaving the leaves still attached. Parboil in large pot in water that covers the cabbage. I put the core side down.
You need to parboil enough so the inner leaves will be a bit soft and workable to fold up, but not cooked so long that they are too soft and mushy. Take the parboiled head out and put aside while you prep other ingredients - it needs to cool anyway so you can handle it. Make sure to save as many of the large outer leaves as possible. When I double this recipe I use two heads of cabbage, because you really need those big leaves.

Dice the salt pork into the smallest dice you can manage and fry until they turn golden brown and remove then with a slotted spoon - DON'T DISCARD the renderings!

Mix the raw meat, cooked rice, 1/2 of the finely grated onion and half of the salt pork bits and add a bit of the renderings. Few grinds of fresh pepper and a bit of salt - don't overdo the salt.

In a separate bowl, mix the crushed tomatoes, the rest of the onion, the small bottle of ketchup and the rest of the salt pork bits and the rest of the renderings! Salt and pepper to taste.

Take a large roasting pan that has a lid (I have one of those old-fasioned black enamel ones that I use for these)
Put several ladles of the sauce on the bottom of the pan, lay several strips of raw bacon over that, and then put several of the large heavy outer cabbage leaves over that.

Then start stuffing the smaller leaves with the meat mixture (I'm assuming you've done this before - you put a small amount of meat on one edge, roll a bit, then roll the sides over and continue rolling until it's a nice little envelope or pocket)

Layer all the cabbage rolls until meat is used up. Top with most (not all) of the sauce over the tops of the rolls. Put some more of the heavier outer leaves over the tops of the rolls, top that with some more bacon slices, and then use the rest of the sauce on the top.

Cover with lid, and cook in 325 degree F oven for about 2 to 3 hours.

It smells so wonderful especially on a cool fall day. Since this recipe has all the major food groups, meat, veggies and starch, I just serve it with a crusty bread and maybe some sliced tomatoes.

When I know I'm going to be making this dish, I reserve the whole morning for it - it's time consuming but worth it! The older generations didn't seem to mind being in the kitchen - they didn't look for quick and easy. Often times, my sisters in law and their cousins would get together and make the pierogis and galombkis and have a nice social time of it.

Love, June