Hearty, comforting Polish Golumpki made with a tender cabbage wrap stuffed with veal, pork, and rice. Coated in a rich tomato sauce and cooked to perfection—a true labor of love and flavor.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Core your cabbage and gently peel off whole leaves. Blanch those leaves in boiling water for 2–3 minutes until they’re soft enough to roll without crackin'. Drain and let cool.
Mix ground veal, pork, cooked rice, diced onion, salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary in a big bowl until everything’s well combined. This mix is the heart of your stuffed cabbage.
Take a cabbage leaf and lay it flat. Spoon a generous bit of filling in the center. Fold the sides over and roll it tight so it’s neat and sealed up. Do this with all your leaves and filling.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a big pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Lay some extra cabbage leaves on the bottom, then arrange your golumpki seam-side down in a single layer. Pour 0.6 liters of beef stock straight over the rolls. Bring it to a simmer.
Cover the pot with your pressure cooker lid. Lock the sealing ring in place. Let it build pressure over medium heat. Once you see steady steam cues, drop heat and cook for about 15 minutes. Do a quick release and carefully remove the lid.
Stir together passata, tomato paste, 0.4 liters beef stock, garlic cloves, allspice berries, peppercorns, salt, and bay leaves in the pot. Spoon sauce over rolls and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cover and simmer on low for 90 minutes until tender.
Notes
This dish freezes well and tastes even better the next day. Make a large batch and store for future meals.