Lozova Surma Bulgarian Grape Leaf Sarma Recipes

LOZOVA SUR'MA (BULGARIAN GRAPE LEAF SARMA)

Steps:

• Prepare grape leaves - fresh leaves need boiling water poured over them to wilt them and a soak in cold water to cool them down while preserved leaves need to be rinsed in cold water.
• Melt butter in large pan, saute onion until slightly brown. Add ground beef and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, eggs, rice and half of the parsley. Mix thoroughly.
• In a saucepan, heat the beef broth, tomatoes, remaining parsley, dill and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer and simmer for two minutes. In a 2 qt casserole, spoon a small amount of the broth mixture into the bottom.
• Fill leaves, folding leaf over filling to make a "package". Arrange a layer of rolls over the sauce mixture in the casserole dish. Alternate between a small amount of sauce and another layer of rolls.
• Cover and bake in a preheated oven at 325F for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with gravy made from melted butter and flour mixture (roux) to which the beef broth was added. The gravy should be fairly hot when added to the casserole dish.
• Return to oven and continue baking, uncovered, for 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle lemon juice over rolls and top with sour cream or yogurt.

SARMA - BOSNIAN STUFFED CABBAGE LEAVES

Steps:

• Separate the cabbage leaves, being careful not to tear them.
• Mix meat, rice, onion, salt, pepper, and paprika.
• Place about a tablespoon or more (use your own judgment based on the size of the leaves) of the meat mixture into each cabbage leaf, near its base.
• Begin rolling the leaf from the base into a thick cylinder, tucking in the sides after the first "roll."
• Layer the cylinders tightly into a medium-sized or large pot.
• Cover the sarma with beef stock or water (I find that if you use water, it makes its own broth anyways with the meat as it cooks).
• Cover the pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for at least three hours.
• Serve with butter and sour cream, with or without some of the cooking liquids according to your preference.
• *Boiled potatoes are often eaten with sarma, and they go quite well together.

SARMA (STUFFED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Place cabbage in the freezer for a few days. The night before making the rolls, take it out to thaw.
• In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, ham, rice, onion, egg, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form meat mixture into oblong balls, using 1/2 cup of the mixture at a time. Then, wrap a cabbage leaf around each ball.
• Spread the sauerkraut in the bottom of a large pot, then layer cabbage rolls on top, placing them seam-side down. Pour tomato juice over rolls, then add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 3 hours, adding more water as necessary.