GOŁĄBKI "STUFFED CABBAGE"

INGREDIENTS:
1 LB GROUND PORK
​1 HEAD OF CABBAGE
2 CUPS FINELY GROUND BREADCRUMBS
2 EGGS
1TSP SALT
1TSP BLACK PEPPER
1 CUP OF COOKED RICE (ROOM TEMPERATURE)
​2 SMALL ONIONS
HANDFUL CHOPPED FRESH PARSLEY
28OZ FAVORITE MARINARA
2TBSP EXTRA LIGHT VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
AROMATICS: CELERY STALK, LEEK, DILL, PARSLEY {OPTIONAL}

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash your cabbage - remove any dirty or ripped outer layer leaves, remove the stalk from the center.
2. Fill a large enough pot with water + submerge the whole head of cabbage, cover and place on high heat.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook the cabbage until the leaves become tender.
4. While you wait for the cabbage, make your filling: chop up your onions and sauté them in the olive oil on medium high heat until they soften up, set them aside to cool.
5. In a large bowl combine ground pork, fresh parsley, breadcrumbs, salt + pepper, and eggs.
6. Once your cabbage leaves are tender, separate them away from the head. Using a paring knife, cut thick stem in the center of each leaf, almost in a triangular shape.
7. Preheat your oven to 375F, prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish by spreading 1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan.
8. Prepare the rolls: Lay cabbage leaf on flat surface with the cut out portion towards you, place 1/4cup - 1/2cup of filling in the middle of each cabbage leaf (depending on size of leaf).
9. Starting from the bottom, roll the leaf up halfway, then fold in the sides, and finally roll it all forward until the leaf completely covers the filling. Repeat with all of the remaining cabbage leaves + filling.
10. Place the gołąbki in the baking dish seam side down. Arrange them together nice and snug next to one another. If you'd like to add extra flavor, arrange the optional aromatics in between gołąbki. Pour the remainder of the marinara over the rolls and bake for 45min-1hr or until cooked through.

Serve while warm with mashed potatoes or bread! Enjoy