Sarmale recipe

Cabbage rolls built on whole leaves of brine-fermented cabbage, simmered for hours in their own sour juice with smoked pork.

15 hours and 30 minutesmedium10 ingredients

Ingredients

• 20 pickled cabbage leaves
• 400 g ground pork
• 200 g ground beef
• 150 g rice
• 2 onions
• 1 carrot
• 100 g smoked bacon
• 60 g tomato paste
• 1 bunch dill
• 200 g sour cream

How to make Sarmale

1. Separate about 20 leaves from a head of pickled cabbage, rinse them briefly and cut out the thick rib. Keep 300 ml of the brine, it is the cooking liquid.
2. Grate 1 carrot and chop 2 onions, then soften them in a pan for 8 minutes with 100 g of the diced smoked bacon.
3. Mix 400 g of ground pork, 200 g of ground beef, 150 g of raw rice, the softened vegetables and a tablespoon of chopped dill. The rice goes in raw, it swells in the brine.
4. Put 2 tablespoons of filling on each leaf, fold the sides in and roll tight into a finger-thick cylinder.
5. Line the bottom of a heavy pot with torn cabbage leaves and the remaining bacon, pack the rolls in close layers and tuck more leaves on top.
6. Pour in the 300 ml of reserved brine, 60 g of tomato paste diluted with water until the rolls are just covered, and press down with a plate.
7. Bring to a bare simmer, cover, then cook 2 to 3 hours on very low heat or in a 150 C oven. The acidity keeps the leaves firm however long they cook.
8. Leave them to rest overnight and reheat the next day, the taste settles.
9. Serve hot with 200 g of sour cream and soft polenta.

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