This being the month of Christmas, a holiday celebrated among 160 of the 195 countries that make up this planet, I’ve decided to do a monthly installment of how various countries around the world celebrate this special holiday in their kitchens and feature their signature holiday meals. Some may be sides, some may be mains, maybe a dessert or two, some may be a festive drink, or even a complete dinner. Only time will tell by which country my girls have randomly pulled out of Santa’s hat. Click here to see all of my “Christmas In…” series from years’ past.
Finally, a “Christmas In” meal from Eastern Europe that I can declare as absolutely delicious! It’s a tough cuisine over there, I guess, but these are the real deal and packed full of flavor. All you have to do is blanch some cabbage leaves, make a tasty pork-based filling, wrap them up, and bake them in the oven. I even used some of the leftover filling to amplify the flavor of the accompanying tomato sauce. This is a great meal for the family which gets everyone their protein and veggies, and because they look like egg rolls, your kids will likely be willing to give them a shot.
Sarmale
1 cup rice (if you have a container from takeout, this works well too)
Head of cabbage
White vinegar (apple cider vinegar will work, too)
1 lb ground pork
Onion, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
Fistful of parsley leaves, minced
Few sprigs of dill, minced
Egg, lightly beaten
1.5 cups chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
16 oz can of tomato sauce
Prepare the rice per instructions on the container/bag and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add in 2 tbsp of vinegar and 2 tsp of salt.
While the water warms, cut out the core of the cabbage and carefully peel away all of the leaves. Reserve any broken leaves for filling or as cover for baking.
Once the water is boiling, drop in several leaves and boil them for 5-7 minutes, remove and drain and repeat with the remaining leaves. Once cooled, cut away the thick part of the stem and discard.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
While the leaves blanch, combine the pork, onion, carrots, prepared rice, parsley, and dill in a bowl, along with some salt and pepper. Pour the egg over everything and mix well with your hands and reserve.
Once the filling and leaves have been prepared, place a leaf on a work surface and fill with about 2 tbsp of filling in the middle of the leaf. Fold the cut portions (from the stem area) up and over the filling and begin to roll toward the outer edge of the cabbage leaf, folding in the sides along the way (like a burrito or egg roll).
Place the cabbage roll, seaside down, in a casserole dish or dutch oven, and repeat with the remaining rolls, layering if necessary. Be sure to season each layer of cabbage rolls with salt and pepper.
Once all of the rolls have been assembled, pour in the stock and cover with any reserved loose or broken leaves. Place a top on the casserole dish or pot and bake in the oven for about an hour.
While the rolls bake in the oven, heat some oil in a pan and saute any remaining filling until the sausage is no longer pink. Add in the garlic and paprika and cook until fragrant. Stir in the tomato sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally.
To serve, spoon some of the sauce on a plate, add the cabbage rolls and spoon any liquid from the pot over the cabbage rolls.
______________________________ Copyright 2023, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
留言