Cabbage Rolls (Golabki)

These are a healthier version of traditional Polish cabbage rolls. If you don't like barley, you can use rice. I make these with turkey to keep the fat content down, but you can use any ground meat.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  cup barley
• 5  cups  ground meat (i.e. turkey, beef, veal or pork)
• 2  cups mushrooms, chopped
• 1  large onion, finely chopped
•  marjoram, to taste
•  salt and pepper, to taste
•  soy sauce (optional)
• 2  large cabbage
• 3 (680 ml) cans tomato sauce

Directions

1. Fry onion, add mushroom and spices and cook until softened.
2. Cook barley according to package directions.
3. Mix fried vegetables with raw meat and cooked barley. If using, add soy sauce to taste.
4. Boil whole head of cabbage in hot water until leaves turn transparent and soften. Remove leaves, one layer at a time and trim off hard area near the core.
5. Layer cabbage leaves on bottom of lasagna dish (I use the ones that fall apart or are too small to roll).
6. Fill cabbage leaf with filling, roll up and place seam side down on top of cabbage leaves in lasagna dish.
7. If serving same day, pour tomato sauce over cabbage rolls and bake at 350F for approximately 40 minute.
8. If making ahead, bake without tomato sauce at 350F for 20-30 minutes. Day of serving, pour tomato sauce over cabbage rolls and bake for another 20 minutes.