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Golabki or Chard Bundles, Vegetarian


Today I am hoping to repeat the success of a recent meal in recreating what my mother  used to call "Pigs in the Blanket," a much loved stuffed cabbage recipe. My husband, who of Polish heritage, calls them golabki, which is pronounced "Gawumky." I made up a recipe to use up the excess chard and kale in our garden, and they tasted really delicious! Here is my original recipe:

Ingredients:
1  cup cooked quinoa. 
1 cup of ground beef substitute (I used Trader Joe's brand)
Sauteed half of a large onion
Sauteed mushrooms, about 7 medium size
2 cloves garlic, also sauteed.
About 20 chard or kale leaves, on the large side.

Blanche kale or chard leaves briefly. Cool and remove center stem. Set aside.

Add quinoa and beef substitute to sauteed veggies. Add 2 beaten eggs and seasoning (fresh parsley, ground red pepper). Fill and roll bundles and secure with toothpick,

Put broth and some tomato sauce in bottom of large skillet. I used the water that I blanched the leaves in. Place wraps in liquid and simmer with lid on for about 20 minutes.

I have to say that I enjoyed the chard leaves much more than those made with kale, though the kale bundles were still tasty. The chard gets that buttery tenderness that just melts on the tongue. 


Today, my plan is to substitute cooked French lentils in  place of the ground beef substitute, along with some flavorings to give it that umami taste.  I'll report back when I get these puppies done. Lentils are simmering on the stove! These will be dinner tonight , and my spouse plans to take some to a Master Gardener's lunch tomorrow. They should be even better after sitting in the fridge overnight.


LATER: My husband and I agreed that the Pigs were tastier with the Trader Joe's Beef Crumbles than with the lentils. However, I would do this again with the lentils, and maybe tinker with adding some additional flavor ingredients. The Beef Crumbles, while tasty, can be a bit hard on the stomach! I like the idea of using really basic ingredients, as opposed to manufactured or processed foods.

Comments

  1. emily.nickerson@gmail.comAugust 9, 2017 at 6:38 PM

    Sounds delish! Maybe try a half tsp of fish sauce for umami?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maureen BeckAugust 10, 2017 at 11:11 AM

    Great idea! I ended up using Umami Paste from Trader Joe's, and that added some complexity.

    ReplyDelete

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