Hungarian roots, part 4: Cabbage rolls

Many of the recipes and preparations that are staples on the Hungarian table are found in the local cuisines throughout eastern Europe and even into parts of Asia. The simple cabbage roll is certainly one that cuts across cultural lines. These little bundles of meat and rice rolled in softened cabbage leaves vary dramatically based on region, climate and access to ingredients. In northern Europe where the growing season shorter, its not uncommon to find this dish with a sour cream based sauce and caraway seeds in the filling. In Austria, its cooked in beef broth. As it travels south to warmer climates, a tomato based sauce becomes more common and you'll find fresh herbs or greens in the filling. A colleague of mine who is Croatian shared his mom's cabbage rolls with me and she softens the cabbage by souring it in a vinegar based brine and then cooks the rolls in sauerkraut. The iconic little cabbage roll really is a study of the intersection between food and culture.

My people came from Romanian and I learned to appreciate the unique combinations of sweet and savory in Turkish cooking. I make these cabbage rolls exactly as my mother did because in my humble opinion, they need no improvement. If I was stranded on a desert island for five years, this would be the first hot meal I would request after being rescued.

CABBAGE ROLLS:

1 large head of green cabbage
2 lbs of 85/15 ground beef
1/2 cup of raw, long grain rice
2 large eggs
1 small onion
1/4 cup water
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
lemon zest

For the sauce:
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
2 large lemons
2 tbsp light brown sugar

There are three parts to this dish - cabbage, filling and sauce, none of which are terribly difficult to prepare. The cabbage needs to be softened so it is pliable and easy to roll and the best way to do that is to blanch it in boiling water. The sauce is just three ingredients, mixed together in the bottom of a deep casserole dish. The filling gets rolled up into cabbage leaves, nestled into the sauce and baked in the oven. Again, none of this is brain surgery, but the assembly is important and good preparation will make each step go faster.

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and putting a stock pot filled with water over medium high heat. While you are waiting for the water to boil, get your sauce ready. Add the can of tomato sauce to the bottom of your casserole dish. You will be using lemon juice in the sauce, but you need the lemon zest for the filling. Zest both lemons into a large mixing bowl, then juice them into the tomato sauce. Finally, add the brown sugar, stir it all together and set it aside. Nothing could be easier! If you want to zing it up with hot sauce or paprika, by all means, do your best, but this I usually just stick to mom's recipe.

To prep the cabbage, slice off the bottom of the core as close to the leaves as possible. Using a small parking knife, begin to cut the leaves away from the thick core. If the head of cabbage is lose enough, you can try gently removing the leaves as you loosen them from the core, but that is often more challenging than it seems. You want to cut enough of the core out so you can see the inside of the cabbage leaves all stacked up. That'll make the leaves much easier to separate when they soften. Use a spoon to scoop out the inner core, then put the entire head of cabbage into the boiling water. It'll take 8 to 10 minutes at a low simmer and as the leaves begin to soften, pull them out and set them in a bowl to cool. Don't let the cabbage overcook! You want it to retain enough of its structure to stay wrapped around the filling and not fall apart while its baking. You should be able to get enough leaves to make 15-20 cabbage rolls from one medium head of cabbage, but of course that will vary based on size.

While your cabbage is blanching, you can get started on the filling. Dice the onion very finely and saute it along with the spices in a skillet over medium heat. When the onions are translucent, add the chopped garlic and saute just until fragrant. Add the onions to the bowl with the lemon zest, then add the rice, water and raisins and let that sit for a few minutes while you tend to your cabbage. I should take a moment to discuss the addition of raisins in this recipe. Its a somewhat controversial ingredient and tends to be polarizing. People either love it or hate, there's no in between. My mother and I loved the raisins but the rest of my family did not, so more often than not we ate this dish sans raisins. But when I moved out on my own and started cooking for myself, those raisins went right back in. Alas, my husband hates the raisins. I tried chopping them finely before adding them to the filling, but he finds the flavor objectionable. Oh well. Its entirely up to you if you want to give them a whirl, but I highly recommend it.

Add the meat and beat the eggs slightly before adding to them to the bowl. Using the tools god gave you (your hands), mix everything thoroughly and add a final bit of salt and pepper to make sure your filling is flavorful. Its a somewhat sticky and wet filling, but the rice will absorb the extra moisture and will bind the ingredients together. Now its time to rock & roll!

If you have some partial cabbage leaves, especially the dark outer leaves, lay them over the bottom of the casserole dish and nestle them into the sauce as protection while the cabbage rolls cook. If you've ever rolled a burrito or an eggroll, you'll be able to make a cabbage roll with ease. Cut the core out of the middle of the cabbage leaf in a v-shape. Then grab a small handful of filling, about a third of a cup, and roll it into a log. Place the filling just above the point of the v-shape and bring the bottom flaps of the cabbage leaf up around the filling. Fold the side of the cabbage leaf in, then roll the whole thing up and place it into the casserole dish. When you fill the bottom of the dish, lay a few cabbage leaves over the bottom layer and starts a new layer on top.

Keep going until you run out of filling, then shred what's left of the cabbage and sprinkle it over the top of the cabbage rolls. Cover the casserole with a lid or foil and bake it for an hour. The sauce should be bubbling up around the edges and in between the cabbage rolls.

You absolutely MUST serve these cabbage rolls over mashed potatoes. Okay, if you prefer a healthier alternative like mashed squash, cauliflower or even brown rice, that works. Its just not as voluptuous. That sauce needs a companion and mashed potatoes are the perfect match. This classic Hungarian cabbage role recipe takes me back to my childhood and its not as difficult as you might think. I guarantee it will warm your soul on a cold winter day.