Borderland cabbage rolls: A delicious twist on a classic dish

I felt a bit anxious when I first had to make these stuffed cabbage rolls. My family loves the classic version of this dish. And after all, what is good and tasty should not be changed. However, the cabbage rolls in this version were received very kindly, even though they taste entirely different. It's about the filling.

Borderland stuffed cabbage rolls are very similar to the ones you know well. However, you don’t need either meat or rice to prepare the filling. Is it a vegetarian dish? No, bacon will also be required. Such cabbage rolls are also traditionally served with sour cream and bacon bits. Of course, you can skip the latter.

Cabbage rolls are one of the dishes without which we cannot imagine cuisine and homemade dinners. And although the most well-known and commonly used recipe is with a meat or meat-rice filling, it’s worth occasionally delving deeper and seeking exciting alternatives. One of them is borderland stuffed cabbage rolls. In the Borderlands, grated potatoes with onions and bacon bits were wrapped in cabbage leaves. After baking, they were served with sour cream.

Although it doesn’t sound light, it’s worth trying. Stuffed cabbage rolls in this version are incredibly flavorful, and the filling is almost creamy. It’s not anything special. Cabbage rolls came to us from Ukraine in the 19th century. And this dish has always had its two versions. Those who could afford it ate them with meat. The poorer ones wrapped groats or potatoes in cabbage leaves. Borderland cabbage rolls can be called an intermediate version.

Ingredients:

                                  
• 1 medium head of cabbage,
• 1.5 kilograms of starchy potatoes,
• 0.45 kilograms of smoked bacon,
• 250 millilitres of broth,
• 1 onion,
• 1 egg,
• 3-4 cloves of garlic,
• 1 teaspoon of dried marjoram,
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation method:

1. Dice the bacon and render it into bacon bits. Set aside.
2. Remove the core from the cabbage, separate the leaves, trim their thick veins, and blanch them in boiling water.
3. Peel and grate the potatoes or use a food processor. Salt them and place them in a sieve over a bowl to drain excess water. Do not pour out the liquid.
4. Add finely chopped onion and egg to the drained potatoes.
5. Mix the mass and season with marjoram, salt, and pepper. Add half of the bacon bits (without the fat).
6. Drain the liquid from the potatoes, add the starch to the mixture, and mix well.
7. Place filling portions on prepared cabbage leaves and roll them tightly to form cabbage rolls.
8. Grease the bottom of a roasting pan or casserole dish with the bacon fat left over from the pan and line it with cabbage leaves.
9. Place the cabbage rolls on them, pour in the broth, and cover. Place the dish in the oven on the lower rack, preheated to 180°C (355°F).
10. Bake the cabbage rolls for 40 minutes, slightly uncovering the lid towards the end to brown the top.
11. Pour the rendered bacon fat over the ready cabbage rolls and sprinkle the remaining bacon bits. Serve with sour cream.