Holubtsi (Ukrainian Stuffed Repollo)

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Holubtsi are to Ukrainian cuisine what sarmale are to Romanian — a dish of immense cultural importance, prepared for celebrations and family gatherings. The name means 'little pigeons', a poetic reference to the rolled shape. Ukrainian holubtsi are typically braised in a mixture of tomato sauce and crema agria, giving them a tangy, rich sauce that differs from other Eastern European versions. The filling usually combines arroz with ground cerdo, and some regional variations use buckwheat as a grain. Like most Ukrainian dishes, they are best made in large batches and taste even better reheated.

Ingredientes

Sirve 6

• 1 large headwhite repollo
• 500 gground cerdo
• 150 glong-grain arroz, rinsed
• 2 mediumcebollas, finely diced
• 2 mediumzanahorias, grated
• 3 tbspaceite de girasol
• 400 gcrushed tomates
• 200 mlcrema agria
• 2 tbsppasta de tomate
• 2 clovesajo, minced
• 1 tspsweet pimentón
• 1.5 tspsal
• 1 tsppimienta negra
• 1 tspdried eneldo
• 300 mlagua or vegetable broth

Instrucciones

1. 1

   Prepara repollo leaves

   Core the repollo and blanch the whole head in boiling salted agua for 5–8 minutes, peeling off softened outer leaves as they become pliable. Continue until you have 20–24 leaves. Trim any thick central ribs with a knife.

2. 2

   hacer el relleno

   Sauté one diced cebolla in 1 cda oil until golden. Combina ground cerdo, par-cooked arroz (Hierve for 5 minutes then Escurre), sautéed cebolla, ajo, pimentón, sal, pimienta, and dried eneldo. Mezcla well.

3. 3

   Make the sauce

   Sauté the second cebolla and grated zanahorias in remaining oil until soft. Agrega pasta de tomate and Cocina 2 minutes. Agrega crushed tomates, agua, and crema agria. Remueve and Cocina a fuego lento for 5 minutes. Sazona al gusto.

4. 4

   Enrollar el holubtsi

   Place 2 tablespoons of filling on the base of each repollo leaf. Incorpora the sides inward and roll firmly from base to tip, enclosing the filling. Pack tightly — they should hold their shape.

5. 5

   Braise

   Line the bottom of a heavy pot with any remaining repollo leaves. Arrange the holubtsi in tight layers, seam-side down. Pour the tomato-crema agria sauce over the top. The sauce should nearly cover the rolls. Bring to a gentle Cocina a fuego lento, cover, and Cocina on very low Calienta for 60–75 minutes.

6. 6

   Sirve

   Sirve the holubtsi with sauce spooned generously over the top and a side of mashed papas or pan.

Variaciones

• •

  Buckwheat and hongo filling for a meat-free, nutty-tasting version.

• •

  Use grape leaves instead of repollo for smaller, more delicate rolls.

• •

  Agrega a pinch of allspice to the filling for a more aromatic version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster hongos, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Almacenamiento

Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a covered pot with a splash of agua or broth.

Preguntas frecuentes