The Very Best Cabbage Rolls Aka Sarmas Recipes

CROATIAN SARMA RECIPE (STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• Take an entire pickled cabbage head. You'll find these on Amazon or in European delicatessens in the chilled section. Wash each leaf thoroughly. Remove the thick part of the stem without tearing the leaves. It's best to allow the leaves to drain on some paper towel or pat each one dry
• Take a large mixing bowl, and combine mincemeat, speck, garlic, parsley leaves, soda water or bicarbonate soda, rice, Vegeta, hot paprika (optional), sweet paprika (optional), breadcrumbs (optional), Salt and pepper, egg & olive oil
• Mix all of the ingredients until well combined
• You want each of the leaves to be about the same size so that each cabbage roll cooks at the same time. So go ahead and cut any large leaves in half, and also join two smaller leaves together as you go
• Take approx 3 tablespoons of the minced meat, and gently combine in the palm of your hand. Do not roll or compress as this will make them too dense when you eat them
• Place the meat on the edge of the cabbage leaf and roll away from you. Then tuck in the sides of the leaf gently into the meat. There should be no exposed meat. If there is, remove some of the filling
• Set the sarma aside, and prepare the sauce
• In a shallow saucepan, or even better, a Le Creuset cast-Iron dish, splash in some extra virgin olive oil, add the 2 diced onions and cook until transparent on low heat. Then add the 2 diced carrots, diced speck, and parsley. Continue to fry on low heat until carrots start to soften
• Add the shredded sauerkraut and create a layer on the bottom of the saucepan. Now, pack the Croatian sarma into the saucepan. They should be packed close together.
• Pour in boiling water so that it just covers the sarma. Add the passata and a pinch of salt and pepper. Every 20 minutes, give the saucepan a shake (do not stir them or they will break) and let them simmer for 2 hours on a low-medium heat

THE VERY BEST CABBAGE ROLLS AKA SARMAS

Steps:

• Core cabbage and boil in pan of water with 3 tblsp vinegar,boil about 25 minutes till leaves are soft.
• While the cabbage is boiling,cook bacon, crisp and crumbled set aside.
• Saute onions and garlic,set aside.
• Mix beef and pork with eggs,spices,rice and 1/2 cup onions and garlic and bacon.
• Cut thick vein from leaves.
• Fill cabbage leaves with 2 tblsp of filling place seams down.
• Combine sauce,sauerkraut,remaining onions,garlic, sugar,salt,paprika,and pepper. Pour over cabbage rolls.
• Can be made in crockpot 6-8 hours low or stovetop bring to boil cover and simmer 3 hours or in the oven 350 foil covered for 2 hours.
• When the rolls are done add a mix of cornstarch and water to thicken the sauce and pour over rolls to serve.

CABBAGE ROLLS-SARMA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Cut the top of the core out of the head of cabbage. Stick a fork into the core. Set head of cabbage in a large pan of water and boil for a few minutes until the leaves become loose.
• While the cabbage is boiling, prepare the meat mixture in a large bowl. Combine the beef, pork, rice, onion, eggs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well (I usually use my hands to knead it all together).
• Remove leaves of cabbage as they loosen from the head with tongs to a colander. You may wish to rinse the leaves with some cold water so it's easier to work with them.
• Next, fill each leaf to make rolls:.
• Cut the bacon down the middle using kitchen shears. Place 1-2 half strips of bacon into the bottom of the cabbage leaf near the core end. Next, put 3 or so tablespoons or sauerkraut on top of the bacon. After that, put a handful of meat mixture on top of the sauerkraut. How much meat mixture you use depends on how large your cabbage leaves are. You can adjust the amount of meat mixture according to how easy or difficult it is to roll up the leaf. Wrap the core side up and over the mixture ingredients, tuck it under tightly, fold the sides in, and roll the rest. This may take a few tries to get, but fairly easy to get the hang of.
• As you fill your cabbage leaves, set them in a row in a large roasting pan. Repeat the rolling process until you have run out of meat mixture or cabbage leaves, whichever comes sooner. I have found that with this recipe I usually have enough for 12 large rolls with some filling left over depending on how big the cabbage leaves are.
• After you have filled your roasting pan with rolls, put the remaining bacon strips on top of the rolls and top with whatever sauerkraut you have left. Fill the pan with sauerkraut juice until it comes at least half-way up the sides of the pan.
• Cover the pan with tinfoil and bake for 2-3 hours.
• Serve with crusty bread.