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Sarmale (Stuffed Cabbage Leaves)

Sarmale (Stuffed Cabbage Leaves) is a traditional Romanian recipe for a classic dish of blanched cabbage leaves filled with a mix of beef, pork, rice and onions bound with eggs and cooked on top of a mix of bacon, salt pork and sauerkraut flavoured with paprika and covered with shredded cabbage and water before stewing. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Romanian version of: Stuffed Cabbage Leaves (Sarmale).

prep time

15 minutes

cook time

140 minutes

Total Time:

155 minutes

Serves:

6

Rating: 4.5 star rating

Tags : Pork RecipesBeef RecipesRomania Recipes


Ingredients:

2 large cabbage
1 small cabbage, finely shredded (a chiffonade)
5 slices of bacon, finely diced
115g salt pork (smoked is best), but into 5cm slices
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp paprika
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
120ml water
900g sauerkraut, drained of juice (but reserve this)
2 tbsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed

For the Filling:
450g minced pork
450g minced beef
2 eggs
75g uncooked rice
120ml iced water
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp onions mix (reserved from cooking the sauerkraut)
120ml of the reserved sauerkraut liquid
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
360ml sour cream

Method:

Remove and discard any wilted outer leaves from the large cabbages. Carefully core them both then place in a deep bowl and pour plenty of boiling water over the top. Set aside to soak as you prepare the filling.

Combine the bacon and salt pork in a pan. Heat gently then stir-in the onions and fry for about 10 minutes, or until the onions turn golden brown. Remove 3 tbsp of the mixture and add to the filling (instructions below) now stir in the paprika to the remaining onions mix and stir thoroughly to combine. Add the garlic then season with salt and black pepper before stirring-in the water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes before adding the sauerkraut and caraway seeds. Cover the pot again and allow the mixture to simmer as you prepare the main filling.

For the Filling: Combine the ground pork and beef in a bowl, add the 3 tbsp onion mix from above then stir in all the remaining ingredients except the sour cream. Mix thoroughly with your hands, until the mixture is completely blended and smooth.

Now remove the cabbages from the hot water and carefully remove all the leaves one by one (be careful not to tear them). Cut off the thick base of each leaf and level out (you need about 15 of the larger, outer, leaves. Place about 2 tbsp of the filling mix on each leaf. Tuck in the end then fold the sides over before carefully and tightly rolling the leaf up. Sit the rolled leaf on top of the sauerkraut mix, pushing them gently into the mixture. Continue the process until all the leaves have been filled. Cover with the shredded cabbage and add just enough water to cover. Adjust the seasonings to taste then cover and simmer gently for 2 hours.

Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with the sour cream and serve.