Kåldolmar (Swedish Cabbage Rolls)

Kåldolmar – Swedish cabbage rolls – was my grandmother’s signature dish that she often made for family gatherings. She learned the recipe from her mother, who worked as a cook in the beginning of the 20th century.

The name kåldolmar comes from the Turkish word dolma, which means “filled.” Kåldolmar is thought to have come to Sweden from the Ottoman Empire. Swedish is the only European language that uses the Turkish word for this dish. It was possibly introduced by Ottoman creditors who came to Sweden in the early 1700s to make sure that their loans were paid back. The first Swedish recipe that documents kåldolmar is a recipe in the 1765 edition of the Kajsa Wargs cookbook. That recipe called for grapevine leaves, but offered cabbage leaves as a substitute. 

This dish, and similar ones to it, is also made in Norway, Finland and many parts of Eastern Europe. To serve it as they do in Sweden, accompany with potatoes and lingonberry jam.

1. 1. Place the cabbage in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Remove the cabbage and bring the water to a boil. Trim the root end of the cabbage and cook until the cabbage softens, 5 to 10 minutes. Peel off the cabbage leaves when they come loose, returning the rest of the cabbage to the hot water as needed; reserve the cabbage cooking water. Cut off and discard the tough part of the leaves, and set the leaves aside to cool.

2. In a small pot combine the rice with 18 ml (1/2 cup) water. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until barely tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and add the onions. Sauté until starting to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add the ground meat and stir, breaking it up, until lightly browned. Transfer to a large bowl and add the cooked rice, egg, salt and white pepper.

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5. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). To roll the cabbage leaves, put a spoonful at the base of each leaf. Fold up the bottom of the leaf, then fold the sides in, then roll up to make small packages. Arrange in an oven proof dish, close together, seam-side down. Arrange small pats of butter on and between some of the rolls. Bake until the rolls are very lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Add the broth and enough of the reserved cabbage water until the rolls are half covered. Continue to bake until the rolls are browned and the rice inside is tender, 20-30 more minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm while you prepare the sauce.

6. To make a sauce, pour off the broth from the baking dish into a small saucepan. In a small bowl mix together 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of the broth and 15 ml (1 tablespoon) flour. Place the pan over medium-low heat, and add the flour mixture, whisking until it thickens a bit. Add cream, if desired, and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Serve the cabbage rolls drizzled with sauce and sprinkled with parsley. If desired, accompany with potatoes and lingonberry jam.