Golabki (cabbage roll) Recipe

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Carefully place the whole cabbage head into the water, cover the pot, and cook for about 3 minutes, just until the outer leaves are pliable enough to peel away.

Remove the cabbage from the pot and let it cool for about 10 minutes, or until the leaves are comfortable to handle.

Carefully peel off 18 whole leaves from the cooled cabbage head. If any have thick, tough center ribs, trim them out. Set these whole leaves aside.

Chop the remaining cabbage head and spread it evenly across the bottom of a casserole dish; this will form a bed for your rolls.

Take one of the prepared cabbage leaves and place about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture near the stem end. Roll the cabbage leaf tightly around the filling, tucking in the sides as you go to form a neat, sealed parcel. Repeat this process with the remaining leaves and meat mixture.

Arrange the finished cabbage rolls in a single layer over the chopped cabbage in your casserole dish. Lightly season the tops of the rolls with a pinch of salt and black pepper.