“So, I bought two dozen eggs. I accidentally dropped them while unpacking the groceries. My insurance rep said an adjuster will be out in the morning to take pictures.”
– Unknown
Amazing goodies always came out of our kitchen during the Easter season. This was a time of celebration, and my grandmother’s influence was all over every dish. My mother learned to precisely follow the steps in her recipes. She got so good she could make pierogies from scratch within an hour, complete with the filling that was usually made with potatoes and cheese or sauerkraut and onion. She also made Paska, or Easter bread; colored pickled eggs with beet horseradish; and my personal favorite, halubki, also known as stuffed cabbage rolls.
My paternal grandmother, Anna, was born in Ukraine in 1892. Within a few years, the family moved to Vienna, Austria. She remained there until 1910. At age 18 she traveled to Hamburg, Germany, and boarded a passenger liner. Her destination was the United States. It was on that ship that she met my grandfather. They married shortly after their arrival at Ellis Island.
My grandmother’s bravery and determination stand out in my memory. You could look in her eyes and immediately feel her kindness and love. Yet, as I grew older, I realized that behind those kind eyes were stories of hardship and struggle.
She was the best gardener. I have never known anyone who could grow what she could in one season. She canned and preserved everything she grew. Nothing ever got wasted. However, it was her cooking that impressed everyone. It was simple yet delicious.
Her stuffed cabbage was wonderful. I don’t think I ever saw heads of cabbage as large as those that came out of her garden. When she made cabbage rolls, she would make a “washtub” full. Everyone within a 20-mile radius got stuffed cabbage.
My mother shared that recipe with me and I have tweaked it to near perfection. So, if you like stuffed cabbage rolls, today is your lucky day. The preparation may seem a bit tedious, but stick with it. Believe me, the results will be delicious, and they are even better the next day!
Stuffed cabbage rolls
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds ground beef (I use 90% lean)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Bell’s poultry seasoning
- 1 egg
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 pound of (good) kielbasa
- Large head of cabbage
- 1 28-ounce can of tomato sauce
Directions:
Mix the first seven ingredients with your hands until well blended.
Core your cabbage head with a paring knife. Go as deep as you can and use a spoon to scrape out the core that won’t cut easily.
Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil, then add the cored cabbage. Boil for 5-7 minutes. At this point I take the cabbage out with a large fork, carefully move the outer leaves to a large bowl, and resubmerge the cabbage in boiling water to get the inner leaves soft. When you have about 12 leaves of cabbage, you are ready. Let them cool.
When cool, take the outermost leaves of the cabbage and lay at the bottom of a roasting pan. Top with the sliced garlic and 1/3 of the can of tomato sauce, along with 1/2 cup water. Cut the kielbasa in 2-inch chunks and lay half of them on the leaves.
Take a cabbage leaf and, with a paring knife, remove the hard “spine” of the leaf.
Place a large spoonful of meat mixture in the cabbage leaf. Roll up and seal with a toothpick. Continue until you have used up the meat mixture.
Place your rolls in the pan, side by side. Stack if you have more than one layer.
Put remaining chunks of kielbasa over the top of the rolls. Pour remainder of tomato sauce over the top. If you feel you need more sauce, add an additional 8-ounce can.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 2 hours on the middle rack.
Let sit for about 15 minutes and serve.
Whether you get together for Passover, Easter, or simply to celebrate spring, remember, it’s all about enjoying some delicious food and being together. Enjoy!
