I’m still enjoying being ” in between jobs” and having time to cook things I normally enjoy only  at my Mum’s, as standing in the kitchen for 2 hours is not always appealing after a day’s work.

So today it’s gołąbki- pigeons, if you like. Lots of work, but very lovely meal at the end of it.

First the stuffing; plain boiled rice, minced pork- in equal amounts, dry and quickly boiled and then chopped porcini mushrooms, 2 handfuls of them I’d say and save the liquid, it will be used in the sauce. 2-3 chopped and fried shallots,  a clove of garlic and lots of seasoning, mixed together and that’s the stuffing.

Next it’s the cabbage leaves that need to be quickly softened in boiling water , otherwise they’d be difficult to fold.  The hard bit in the middle of each leaf has to be cut flat for the same reason.

To make a gołąbek, you spread a wilted leaf flat, place some stuffing in the middle, flatted it and wrap up tight. When all done, place gołąbki in a pan bedded with some spare cabbage leaves, some olive oil and that liquid from the mushrooms. That stops them catching on the surface of the pan. Ready little things, in the pan nice and tight and then covered and slowly cooked, about an hour, check for the liquid and top up if necessary.

Last thing to do is a nice and simple tomato sauce ( although there are people like Moka who only like them in mushroom sauce) , a shallot, some garlic, fresh herbs, passata, red wine if there’s any around- there always is.

And that’s it, a pile of washing up to do while gołąbki are cooking.