Polish Truffle Gołąbki (Stuffed Cabbage) with Dill Oil

STEP 1: PREPARE THE CABBAGE LEAVES

Cut a deep cone around the cabbage core and remove it. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil with the bay leaf. Lower the whole head in, core-side down, and simmer for 3–4 minutes. Using tongs, peel away the outer leaves as they soften and loosen, lifting them out and laying them flat on a tray. Return the head to the water and repeat until you have 14 good leaves — twelve for rolling and two spares. Let them cool, then shave the thick central rib of each leaf flat with a paring knife held parallel to the board, without cutting through. A shaved rib is what lets a smaller roll close tightly. Shred any torn or leftover leaves and set aside.

STEP 2: PARBOIL THE RICE

Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear. Boil it in plenty of salted water for 6 minutes only, then drain and spread on a tray to cool. It should still be chalky at the centre. At 150 g uncooked against 300 g of pork, the rice sits at roughly half the meat weight and goes in underdone, so it absorbs braising liquid in the pot rather than swelling into paste inside the filling. Do not cook it through and do not increase the quantity.

STEP 3: BUILD THE FILLING

Drain the soaked dried porcini mushrooms, squeezing them over the bowl, then strain the liquor through muslin and reserve it for the braise. Chop the porcini finely. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes until translucent. Add both mushrooms and raise the heat, cooking hard for 8–10 minutes until they have released their water and started to catch and brown. Add the garlic and marjoram, cook for 1 minute, then tip onto a plate to cool. In the same pan, brown the pork in a single layer without stirring for 3 minutes, break it up and cook 3 minutes more, then cool. Combine the pork, mushroom mixture, parboiled rice, egg, parsley, black truffle paste, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until cohesive but not compacted. Fry a teaspoon of the mixture and taste it — this is the only chance to correct the seasoning.

STEP 4: ROLL TO SIZE

Weigh out 90 g of filling per leaf; do not eyeball it. Lay a leaf rib-side down with the stem end towards you, place the filling in a log across the lower third, fold the stem end over it, fold both sides in, and roll up firmly into a parcel about 10 cm long and 4 cm across. Set seam-side down. Repeat for twelve rolls. A roll this size cooks evenly to the centre and eats in three bites.

STEP 5: ASSEMBLE AND BRAISE

Scatter the reserved shredded cabbage and the dill stalks over the base of the casserole to stop the rolls catching. Pack the rolls in seam-side down in a single tight layer. Whisk together the passata, strained porcini liquor, stock, tomato purée and caster sugar, and pour over until the rolls are about three-quarters submerged. Tuck in the bay leaf. Bring to a bare simmer on the hob, cover, and transfer to a 325°F (165°C) oven for 60–70 minutes. The rolls are done when a skewer slides into the centre with no resistance and the rice is tender.

STEP 6: MAKE THE DILL OIL

While the rolls braise, blanch the dill fronds in boiling water for 15 seconds, then plunge into iced water. Squeeze them very dry in a clean cloth — residual water will cloud the oil and dull the colour. Blend with the oil and the pinch of salt on high for 60–90 seconds until warm and vivid green. Pour through a muslin-lined sieve and let it drip through without pressing, since pressing pushes solids into the oil. You want a clear, brilliant green. Keep at room temperature; refrigerating dulls it.

STEP 7: FINISH AND SERVE

Lift the rolls out with a fish slice and keep warm. Set the casserole over medium heat and reduce the braising liquid by about a third until it coats a spoon. Off the heat, stir in the butter and the cider vinegar. Spoon the sauce onto warm plates, sit two rolls on top, and spoon the dill oil around them rather than over them, so it sits as clear green pools against the red. Offer the soured cream at the table. If you are using fresh black truffle at all, shave it at the table over one roll per plate — the dish is complete without it.