Golumpki: Stuffed Cabbage

Golumpki, also called stuffed cabbage, cabbage rolls or "pigs in a blanket," is a dish consisting of cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around a variety of fillings. It is common to the peasant cuisines of Europe and Western Asia, and has also found popularity in areas of North America settled by Eastern Europeans.

The filling is traditionally based around meat, often beef, lamb or pork and is seasoned with garlic, onion and spices. Grains such as rice and barley, eggs, mushrooms and vegetables are often included in the filling as well. Pickled cabbage leaves are often used for wrapping, particularly in Southeastern Europe. As only the largest leaves can be used, small pieces of cabbages are often mixed into the stuffing and sauce. As the dish originated as a way to use leftover food, other ingredients may also be used in the stuffing.

Cabbage leaves are stuffed with the filling which are then baked, simmered or steamed in a covered pot and generally eaten warm, often accompanied with a sauce. The sauce varies widely by cuisine.

In Eastern Europe, tomato-based sauces or plain sour cream are typical.

In Finland and Sweden, stuffed cabbage is often served with bittersweet lingonberry jam. A classic combination of minced pork and rice makes the perfect Swedish version of a cabbage roll. The original recipe made use of vine leaves but was adapted to use cabbage when vines leaves were unavailable or too expensive. A popular addition to this dish include mashed or boiled potatoes, a creamy gravy made from beef broth and sour cream, and lingonberry jam, a tart yet sweet addition to the meal.

Cabbage rolls are the epitome of Polish cuisine, and combine beef and pork meat with barley or rice inside their cabbage leaves. These cabbage rolls are cooked in the oven, accompanied by a delicious tomato-based sauce. Typical Polish side dishes that work well with cabbage rolls include: mashed potato, honey-glazed roasted carrots, sautéed wild mushrooms or Polish potato pancakes.

The Romanian version of the cabbage roll showcases the flavours of ground pork and caramelised onions. They created this delicious meal with sauerkraut, enhancing the flavour even more. Great Romanian side dishes that pair well with cabbage rolls include: mashed potatoes, green beans with a tomato sauce, baked mushrooms or roasted eggplant.

In Lebanon it is a popular plate, where the cabbage is stuffed with rice and minced meat and only rolled to the size of cigar. It is usually served with a side of yogurt and a type of lemon and olive oil vinaigrette seasoned with garlic and dried mint.

In Hungary, the cabbage rolls are often simmered on top of a bed of cabbage and sauerkraut with pieces of smoked ham hock tucked in between. They are filled with minced pork meat and served with sour cream and paprika. The best way to enjoy this version of the cabbage roll is to serve it with mashed potatoes and applesauce Add some delicious buttered bread rolls for dipping to really top it off well. See recipe for Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage.

In Croatia, cabbage rolls are a staple diet of the population. The popularity of the dish has only recently been surpassed by a love for a hearty bean soup. Stuffed Cabbage with ground smoked pork is a firm Croatian favorite at Christmas.

Typical Ukrainian cabbage rolls can be made from either pickled or parboiled cabbage leaves. Fillings traditionally contain rice only, since the typical peasant diet was largely vegetarian due to the higher cost of meat. Occasionally, the rice filling is mixed with small amounts of meat. Other recipes call for cooked kasha and chopped wild mushrooms or, more recently, combinations of whole grains and root vegetables. Some modern recipes call for tofu or textured vegetable protein instead of meat. The finished rolls may be simmered in thinned tomato juice, beef stock, vegetable stock, or even miso broth.

The Russians are famous for a ‘lazy style’ cabbage roll, where the cabbage is chopped up and mixed with minced meat and cooked buckwheat or rice. This mixture is stewed with a sour cream and tomato sauce to create a quick and easy meal. This cabbage roll alternative will pair well with: Russian knish, baked or fried potato dumpling, simple Russian pancakes.

Made popular in the USA by Polish immigrants, Americans have their own unique take on cabbage roll dishes. The descendants of Polish and Jewish East European immigrants have inherited the cabbage roll recipes of their families, adapting where necessary to fit their family’s preferences. They are usually made with ground beef or chicken, and hardly ever use pork since American cabbage roll recipes descend from Jewish families. Seasoned with dill, onion, lemon juice, brown sugar, garlic, paprika and allspice, and paired with tomato-based sauces, these cabbage rolls are filled with ground meat and rice.

Typical sides fround in the U.S. are mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, pierogies (boiled potato stuffed dough) and bigos (meat and sauerkraut stew), rye bread and butter. Peas would go well with the mashed potatoes. A cucumber salad would add freshness. Other suggestions, for a bigger meal, are potato pancakes, kielbasa, schnitzel (breaded pork cutlet). Kielbasa or smoked ham hocks could be stuck between the cabbages as they cook.