Remember, in “Stranger than Paradise,” settled in New York Willie explains his fresh from Hungary cousin Eva the benefits of American lifestyle and prepackaged TV dinners:
— I got my meat, I got my potatoes, I got my vegetables, I got my dessert, and I don’t even have to wash the dishes.
Something similar is going on here, in each ball:
— You’ve got your meat, you’ve got your starch, you’ve got your vegetables, and you don’t even need a knife to eat it.
You’ll have to do the dishes, though. But just a couple.
This was my mom’s take on stuffed cabbage leaves when there was no proper size cabbage for wrapping and she was too stingy to discard tough parts of the leaves. Meat was scarce — she used whatever was scraped off the bones after making borscht. This was also a chance to use rice and diverge from a daily potato diet my stubborn dad refused to alter. For us children, not fans of golubtsi with their stringy cabbage strands, this was presented as kotlets, our beloved ground meat patties, that were so easy to eat — no knives needed, or even better with hands on a slice of bread. These little bundles were inhaled by all.
Soviet lifestyle and a TV dinner.
THE BALLS
3/4 cup rice
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup neutral oil
1 large carrot, grated
1 large onion, chopped
3 cups diced cabbage leaves
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 bunch dill, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
2 eggs
1 lb ground beef or pork or turkey
1/2 tsp salt
THE SAUCE
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 cups beef broth
7 oz crème fraiche
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (optional)
THE PROCESS
1. Cook rice in water with 1/2 tsp salt for about 15 minutes, covered, until water gets absorbed. Spread cooked rice on a plate to cool and dry.
2. In large frying pan in olive oil, sauté carrot, onion, cabbage, and garlic on a medium heat until soft, about 20 minutes. Mix in chopped herbs, season with about 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, and cool completely.
3. Combine cooked rice, sautéed vegetables, eggs, and meat taking care to break clumps of rice and meat. Season with about 1/2 tsp of salt.
4. Shape the meat mixture into 12 balls.
5. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, add flour and cook for a few minutes, until it colors slightly and gives a nutty aroma.
6. Incorporate tomato paste and ketchup, breaking the clumps.
7. Slowly whisk in the broth, stirring constantly to prevent clumps from forming.
8. Bring to a simmer and mix in crème frâiche. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Spread the sauce on the bottom of a lasagna pan, nestle in the balls, and bake at 400°F for 40 minutes.
10. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and give it 3-5 minutes under a broiler.