Or……

Gołąbki, Kåldolmar, Pigeons, Halupkies, Dolmas, Kohlrouladen, Holubtsi, Holishkes, Golubtsy……

About Cabbages and Kings etc etc…..

Gołąbki are also referred to as golombki, golumpki, golabki, golumpkies, golumpkis, gluntkes, or gwumpki. Similar variations are called holubky (Slovak), töltött káposzta (Hungarian), holubtsi (Ukrainian), golubtsy (Russian), balandėliai (Lithuanian), Kohlrouladen in Germany (or sarma a Turkish loan-word, commonly applied to some Southern Slavic versions, particularly in the Carpathian and Balkan regions), kåldolmar (Sweden, from the Turkish dolma). In Yiddish, holipshes, goleptzi golumpki and holishkes or holep are very similar dishes. They are also referred to as “pigeons” (England and the Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Region). In the United States, the terms are commonly Anglicised by second- or third-generation Americans to “pigs in a blanket”, “piggies”, “stuffed cabbage”, “stuffed cabbage leaves”, or “cabbage casserole”.

Savoy Cabbage

It appears that cabbage rolls, in one form or another, are global; my recipe today for Sausage Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, is one that I grew up with and is a classic British stuffed cabbage roll recipe, but with some added cheese for good measure. It’s not hard to see why these rustic recipes are popular, cabbages were grown in most people’s gardens as a staple vegetable, they are fairly cheap to buy, even today – plus, one cabbage goes a long way. Sausage meat or sausages are still classed as poor man’s pork, insofar as sausages are cheap and a great source of protein for family meals, and of course, as with cabbages, a little goes a long way. So, cabbage rolls in all their forms are comforting, filling and inexpensive to make, and they seem to resonate with people’s memories of comforting meals around the family table when they were children.

Sausage Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I have shared a cabbage roll recipe before, but using fewer ingredients and no cheese; today’s recipe is similar, but has the added ingredients of smoked bacon, herbs and melted cheese on top, all of which were added according to what was filed away in the fridge and what was available in my herb garden! I rather like the old English name for stuffed cabbage rolls, which is “Pigeons” and is also the translation for the Polish variety called Gołąbki too. Now is the season to embrace your brassicas, and pork (or pork sausage meat) is also a winter or cold weather meat. All brassicas do so much better when they have a healthy dose of frost on them, and as we are still experiencing heavy ground frost, why not pop down to your local farm shop and buy some cabbages for today’s recipe.

I hope you enjoy my latest Winter recipe for Sausage Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, and please do check out the other global cabbage roll recipes I’ve shared below too – and there are some veggie and vegan versions, so, it seems when it comes to frugal, comforting winter recipes, the humble cabbage still reigns supreme.….I’ll be back soon with some more baked treats, as well as some intriguing traveller’s tales, have a great day, Karen 

Notes:

These delicious cabbage rolls are easy to make and are perfect for a cheap and cheerful, but comforting family meal; serve them with extra tomato sauce and mashed potatoes, or Polish style (Gołąbki) with sour cream and caraway seeds and freshly chopped dill tips. (Not suitable for freezing, but the rolls can be prepared in advance before cooking)

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Sausage Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A hearty and delicious way to eke out a packet of sausages whilst also getting some of your five-a-day included in a meal; these sausage filled cabbage rolls make a fabulous midweek or weekend family meal and are easy to make, as well as being suitable for freezing before cooking.

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Ingredients

• 450g pork sausages, skinned
• 2 slices stale bread, crumbled
• 6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and very finely chopped
• 8 large savoy cabbage leaves, or 12 smaller ones
• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes with garlic and onions, mixed peppers or with mixed herbs
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 5. Lightly butter or oil a large rectangular baking dish or tray.

2. Blanche the cabbage leaves in boiling water for 3 minutes until just soft. Drain and allow to cool.

3. Skin the sausages and mix the sausage meat with the bread, sage and chopped onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Wet your hands and take a large ball of sausage meat mixture and place it in the middle of a cabbage leaf; fold the bottom and top of the leaf over the filling and then the two sides and roll up so the seam is underneath the roll. Place each roll in the dish/tray seam side down. Continue to fill and roll until all the leaves and sausage mixture have been used.

5. Pour the tinned tomatoes over the cabbage rolls and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the cabbage rolls are soft and the tomatoes are bubbling.

6. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Notes

Recipe from Karen Burns-Booth.

Global Cabbage Roll Recipes:

Golabki (cabbage rolls)

Vegetarian Golubtsy

Sausage Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

ARMENIAN STUFFED CABBAGE (DOLMAS)

Kåldolmar

Halupkies

Kohlrouladen Vegan

HOLUBTSI