If I had to pick my all time favourite comfort food, it would have to be holubsti, aka cabbage rolls. The best time of year to make them is summer and early fall, when the cabbage is sweet and tender.

There are all kinds of cabbage rolls made in many Eastern and Eorpean countries. Growing up, my Mom made big hearty rolls stuffed with a mixture of ground beef, onion and rice. I always enjoyed them but my favourite holubtsi were made by my long time boyfriend Steves Baba Shafirka. Like many Ukranian Babas, she made her delicious version with a bacon and rice mixture with lots of cooked onions and smothered in tomato juice. Her’s were tiny compared to my Moms version. Baba didnt have a written recipe, but she showed me her tricks. I did my best to write out her recipe. That was more than 40 years ago and I have likely made them a hundred times since. So I hope you enjoy them. Smachnoho! Literal translation: “have a tasty meal!”

Baba’s Holubtsi

Ingredients:

1 cabbage

1 c long grain rice

375 grams side bacon

2 small cooking onions, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

19 oz can tomato juice

Directions:

With a large sharp knife, cut out the core from the cabbage. Place the cabbage is a deep pot of boiling water. After a few minutes, the outer leaves can be separated. They should come away easily, if they are tearing they are not ready to be separated.

Pull 4-5 leaves from the head but leave them submerged in the pot of boiling water until they are soft and pliable, about 5 minutes. Continue this process until all the leaves are separated. In a saucepan, place 1 c of rice. Rinse rice at least 3 times to remove excess starch. Cover with 2 c of water and a 1/2 t of salt. Bring to a boil. Give the mixture a stir. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a seperate saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until all the fat is drawn out. Drain the majority of the bacon fat. Add the onions, cook until lightly btowned.

Add to the cooked rice. Check the rice for salt level and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spray a roasting pan with nonstick spray. Set aside a few leaves of the outer leaves of cabbage. Using the smaller and medium leaves for the rolls.

Place a spoonful of the rice mixture onto each inner cabbage leaf, roll up, tucking in the ends and place in the pan. I like to trim down the centre rib of the leaf to make rolling easier.

Pour tomato juice over the cabbage leaves. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1-1/2 hours until tender.

Kath’s quote: “In grandma’s cooking, ‘a pinch’ is code for ‘as much as your heart desires.’”

Loved never fails.

Share on Facebook