Lazy Gołąbki (Lazy Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

This is a great alternative for those who love gołąbki (Polish stuffed cabbage rolls) but, like me, don't like making them. I get tired of preparing the cabbage and wrapping it around the filling. In this version of gołąbki, the cabbage goes into the filling and you shape patties, which are then simmered in a tomato sauce. It's also a great solution for a kids' meal, since kids usually have a problem with the cabbage around the gołąbki. They eat these without any fuss. And it's not only kids who like them!

Even though the recipe seems complicated, it isn't. The patties are quick to shape. You get quite a lot of them, but they taste just as good reheated, and any extras can be frozen.

lazy gołąbki

The recipe is inspired by sd_silver's recipe for cabbage patties à la gołąbki.

Directions:

Put the meat in a large bowl. Wash and finely chop the cabbage, then add it to the meat. Also add the rice, semolina, eggs, finely chopped onion, garlic pressed through a garlic press, and the seasonings. When adding soy sauce, though, watch the amount of salt so the patties don't turn out too salty. Mix everything well and shape into smallish patties, then fry them in oil until browned.

Transfer the patties to a large pot and add enough water to cover them well. Reserve a cup of the water, though, and use it to stir in the tomato puree. Add it to the patties, season lightly with salt and pepper, optionally add a little sugar (to "break" the taste of the tomatoes), and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the patties are cooked through and tender. Ladle a few tablespoons of the sauce into a glass, add the cream or milk, and stir, then mix it into the rest of the sauce. Season to taste, stir, bring briefly to a boil, and serve.

Enjoy!

Additional notes:

• Instead of cream, you can use a mixture of all-purpose flour and potato starch to thicken the sauce
• Often, instead of tomato puree, I add a can of blended tomatoes
• If you have trouble seasoning the sauce properly, you can add a bouillon cube. It is salty, though, so better watch the amount
• Serve with potatoes, pasta, or rice, or as a standalone dish.